The Guardian
by Demonatron
Summary: She was created for war. From the day she was born in that cold black pit on Cybertron, she had been fed nothing but hate and anger. She feared no one, loved no one, until that fragging family of fragile organics wormed their way into her black spark...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Megatron himself had been the model of her frame.

He had hunted and searched for a femme worthy of carrying his own creation. He had had her body, even her tiny sparkling frame, forged out of Cybertron's strongest metals.

When he first realized that his sparkling was indeed female, he had destroyed her femme creator in his rage, and almost the youngling herself. But the little sparkling, red optics glittering with the fiercest fighting spirit he had seen in ages, had snarled and spat at him fearlessly for the way he'd killed the femme.

She clearly remembered hauling her new, tiny, heavy body over her mother's corpse, right over her darkened spark chamber, to get as close to his face as she could to vividly threaten him. She remembered staring into his cruel, cold red eyes as he bent his massive form over her, the way the anger faded to disturbing joy and pride. His jagged, sharp teeth bare in a twisted smile, he had lifted her up in his huge claws to gaze at her.

He had held her like his own precious treasure, even as she twisted and hissed.

A faceless, nameless onlooker had said, still afraid of his master's unfathomable wrath, "She shows no fear, my lord Megatron. It seems as though she's content to fight until her spark runs cold."

And Megatron, watching the little one as she continued in her rage, agreed with an almost fatherly pride, "you will do, young one. Yes, you will do."

Megatron raised her in darkness, the only face she ever saw in her sparkhood, save those second-long glimpses of a lovely, strong femme's face at the very beginning. Her existence was unknown, even among the Decepticon ranks.

When most sparklings were being showered with love, she was punished every time she so much as shed a tear or let weakness betray her. When most sparklings were encouraged to grow and explore, she was taught to live a life of hate. _The Autobots are the enemy, _Megatron repeated to her over and over again, _They will crush you, take you away from me if you are ever discovered. _

A veiled threat. A danger in the shadows. Her spark was twisted and black with anger and loathing. She spent her young days under his watchful gaze, slowly becoming the Decepticon warrior he had dreamed of. And even though all of her scars came from his hands, she thrived only for him. She worked tirelessly to please him. The only light in her life was the sinister pride that filled his optics every time she proved herself.

And Megatron himself had found a certain joy with her, a black peace that settled inside knowing that she was truly, undeniably, his. _His_ ruthlessness, _his_ cunning, _his_ spark. He could see it in her eyes that she lived only for _him._

But even though her loyalty never faltered as she grew older and became the very thing he had hoped to create, she couldn't help but burn with pain every time he neglected to call her daughter. She knew, deep down in her tormented spark, that she was nothing more than his deadliest tool.

_And that, _her spark told her, _will never change, no matter how hard you push yourself._

The pain would always be there, but she would shove it down whenever she needed to. All that mattered was that she serve him, making him proud enough to actually acknowledge her as a living femme, his only offspring.

It had nearly killed her when he approached her one day to tell her that he was leaving to find the All Spark, and that she was to stay there and wait for his orders. Like she had always done in the past, she had inclined her head and said the words, _Yes, Megatron. _No argument. No comments. Just following orders, as he had raised her to.

For years and years and years, she had waited in that cold dark place she had known since the first days of her life. She had felt it in her spark when he had crash landed, when he had offlined. Her first instincts were to leave, to rush to his side and aid him. But his words always came back to her, and she'd run her fingers over the scars on her arms and she'd make herself turn away and wait...always waiting...

Until it suddenly came to her. A whisper that curled around her dark spark and tugged her in the direction he had left. His voice echoed through her, bringing her back to life from her age of silence and torment, _come to me, Demona, your time has arrived._

Without a second thought she did just that.

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><p><strong>Megatron and transformers belong to their creators. Demona and the storyline are mine. I know it's kind of a far shot...but I've had Demona and her story circulating through my head for a while now. I just adore her...<strong>

**Usually I excel in excruciatingly long chapters...my apologies.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Gears had seen all kinds of things in her thirty-five years.

At nineteen she had left home when she found out that she was pregnant, and set off to make her own life. In a what-the-hell turn, she had married the father of her first child only to lose him in a car accident weeks before her baby was born. She'd only survived for the sake of her son.

Nine years later her second son was born, but he had come with a number of health problems that had threatened to topple her world. Gears made it work, rearranging her life to keep and care for him.

She had bought a piece of land that no one wanted and she had slowly, painfully made her living off of it, building her home and her shop with her own hands. Gears had faced the odds, she had fought against doubts and obstacles and had kept her small family safe and close, she had raised them the best she could.

Gears thought of herself as a strong woman, something like a veteran. But all of her years and all of her trials simply failed to prepare her for this.

She stood encircled by towering stacks of cars and discarded debris, blinking away the dirt and dust in her eyes as the smoke thinned around her. For the tenth time in the last ten minutes she praised the heavens for giving her the foresight to send her boys over to her sister's house for the weekend.

Mane bristled, her heavy black german shepherd crept along on her left, thick body slung low and dark eyes fixed on the object in her yard's brand new crater. Every fiber of his body was coiled tight. She knew he was afraid, but she also knew from previous experiences that he wouldn't dare leave her side. When she stepped closer, so did he.

Gears stopped at the edge and peered down.

It was a pod of some type. That was the best word she could come up with to describe it.

A black and gray pod made out of some type of metal she had never seen before. Black plumes of smoke still rolled up from the glinting metals, exiting out of cracks and tears in the alloy. Small flames danced across the shell in curling tongues, the lasting remains of the sparks and flares that had lit up the night sky upon landing.

_Just what the hell is it?_ Gears had seen it fall out of the black sky, she had felt the earth quake and moan with impact. Was there even a logical explanation for it?

She knelt in the dirt and leaned forward, squinting her dark green eyes so she could see better. She and her dog both jumped when thick clouds of white steam streamed out of the object with a sharp hiss, billowing up to cover the strange object once again. She could no longer see it, but she heard the soft music of shifting and clinking metals, interrupted occasionally by an earsplitting whine or a low groan.

Then, suddenly, part of the thing stretched up out of the mist and clamped down on Gears' right, mere inches away from her tense frame. The dog snarled and exploded with a round of thunderous barks. Gears jerked back from the object, staring with wide eyes as her mind struggled to take in what she was seeing.

It was a _hand._ A _metal _hand.

She could see a metal skeletal frame beneath the armored digits. All four fingers and thumb of the hand broke through the packed soil and gravel to get a better grip. The weight shifted and the planes of metal creaked as a second landed on her left. A colossal shadow fell upon them and the cry of straining metal tore at her ears as the thing, whatever it was, fell towards them. Gears had just enough time to grab her dog by the collar and rush away before they were crushed. They hit the dirt behind a stack of VW's.

She strained her ears for any sounds of movement but all she heard was soft whirs and whines that sounded...painful.

Cautiously, Gears crawled around the stack, poking her head out to see. The metal giant lay where it had fallen, a black and gray mystery in her backyard. Before she could even think it through, she'd taken a step closer. Then another, and another until she was in plain sight, standing right in front of it. She raked her eyes down what she could see of the machine face down in her junkyard and started to notice things.

Things like torn armor, split cables and sparking wires. Tubes were laid open and knocked loose, spilling some strange pink liquid that emitted it's own heat like blood. As she continued to study it, it became clear that it was heavily damaged.

The knowledge sent her fear and doubts flying. Her maternal side kicked in before she knew it and she closed the distance between them, stretching out a hand to touch a knuckled. The alloy was warm, as if it were living skin. In awe, she whispered, "What _are_ you?"

* * *

><p><strong>Gears and her family, along with Demona and the story, all belong to me. Transformers belongs to it's creator. <strong>

**Again...sorry for the short chapter. I'm just trying to get things running smoothly.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Demona could feel her systems struggling to stay online. They whined and stuttered, assaulting her mind with warnings and status reports. There had only been one other time she had been in this state of injury, energon emptying out of her to leave her body cold. Her spark pulsed painfully and out of rhythm.

Instincts told her to stay still and wait for Megatron. Surely he could sense that _something_ had gone seriously wrong. He _had_ accepted the creator bond in the long hours following her creation that linked them, after all. She mercilessly shoved down the thought that he had only done it out of necessity, because she would've died without some kind of bond to feed off of. If she had perished, all of that effort he had put into her birth would have been for nothing.

Yes, instincts told her to wait for her master, but her tortured processor, straining with all of the damage, calculated based off of her memories that she was alone. _Always_ alone.

So she vented softly before activating the codes needed to get out of that slagging pod. She threw up mental walls to block out the alerts, trying, once again, to understand just what had gone wrong.

Once she was free, she raised one hand into the air to grip organic sediments and stones. Red blared in her vision, an ugly, seething red as agony rolled through her. Training kicked in and she pushed it all away, focusing on other things to keep her body from shutting down. She lifted the other hand, found purchase, and attempted to haul her broken protoform out of the crater.

She only made it halfway before her body gave out on her. She fell, face-down, into the earth. Her optics actually offlined as everything intensified. If it was difficult staying awake before, it was fragging impossible now. She shuddered and cursed quietly, falling still.

Distantly, Demona became aware of an approaching, tiny, creature. Agitation and insult flared through her as the same organic touched her. It was such a small, soft warmth, she realized once her initial reaction had faded. It was so drastically different than the throbbing pain. Before she registered it, her mind clung to that touch, and soon it became her only relief as she grew closer and closer to offlining.

But then the creature spoke in a language so utterly foreign to her, but...there was something about the tone that seemed to ease her spark. She cursed again, this time at herself for already becoming dependent despite all of her years of harsh training and preparation.

She didn't have the time to dwell on it because, at that very moment, her body finally stutter it's way into a forced stasis lock.

When she woke up some time later, the first thing she became aware of was a strange heat from above. Her optics flickered before completely onlining, and she slowly raised them to take in her surroundings.

There was tall stacks of crushed metal frames and shells in every direction, completely dominating the scenery. A quick hack into the 'world wide web' told her that they were called vehicles, or cars, and were used for transportation. There was a great number of kinds and models, but she didn't focus on going through the list.

Her gaze continued to fall upon what she knew was the sky. Demona couldn't help but doubt, considering the only sky she had ever seen was sunless, because this one was so clear and so..._blue._ Not black. Having been safely locked away in the shadows her entire life, what she saw next was a truly awesome sight to behold.

The sun burned high in the sky, making it's slow course across. It was the source of heat warming her frame. The feeling was foreign, but no where near unpleasant. She stared at it, trying to take it all in.

She detected movement below and automatically activated her defensive and offensive routines. The rings around her wrists began to rapidly spin until the grooves lined up, allowing her claw blades to slide through to their full lethal length. There was five of the massive, wickedly curved blades on each arm. She yanked her optics away from the spectacle in the sky to fix them on the source of the disturbance, standing on the earth. She bared her sharp dental plates at the two-legged organic and her snarling, smaller companion.

The creature stared up at her with fearless green eyes. The organic's small mouth opened, and the same voice that had reached her in her pain before uttered something else in that same odd language.

In under a second, Demona looked up the language and the bare minimum on the planet's organic species, namely it's ruling race. She growled, switching to the new language, "Who are you to speak to me, fleshling?"

It felt and sounded so odd, coming from her vocals. She watched as the human female, as her research had informed her, crossed her arms and said almost curiously, "So...it speaks."

Demona snarled. The smaller creature, a dog, started to spit and bark, standing between his master's legs. She shifted to stand, raising her claws so they cast their menacing shadows over the pair. She twitched her blades in preparation to tear the organic to shreds, but what the woman did next completely stumped her processor.

She raised a small hand and pointed, right in the Decepticon femme's face, and snapped, "As for _who I am_, I'm the 'fleshling' that spent all night trying to save your ass!"

Demona's expression must have mirrored her shock, because the woman dropped her hands to her sides and asked, changing back to her curious tone, "what? You don't remember crashing in the middle of my yard and nearly destroying my home? You were practically in pieces. It's a wonder you even survived."

"You..." Demona cursed viciously in her native language as her memories came crashing back. She ran a thorough scan on her systems, more than a little surprised when a number of them came up fine. They were slow, but functioning. The only real pain or lingering damage was to her armor and the lack of the right amount of energon in her body. _How is that possible?_ There was no way in pit that the fragging human knew about cybertronian medicine.

Had this_ thing_ really_ saved_ her?

"Obviously," the woman started again, "I don't know what the hell you are, I probably didn't do too well, but it was enough since you're still...alive."

The fleshling tensed when Demona finished pulling herself out of the hole, crouching down over the small body until they were almost nose to nose. Demona narrowed her red optics, studying the human for a long minute before she spoke again. "You do not fear me."

The dog seemed to explode, leaping up to slam his pathetic teeth into her frame. The human was quick though, grabbing hold of a ring of leather around the animal's throat to restrain it. She answered, never faltering beneath Demona's dark stare, "should I?"

* * *

><p><strong>:) So...the first 'fleshling' she comes across since her landing on earth has already confused, angered, and utterly stumped poor Demona. And yeah...the woman should be scared out of her mind since she's got the female version of Megatron staring her down...not sticking a finger in her face and snapping at her...but that's just Gears for you. :) <strong>

**Demona, Gears, Gears' family and the plot all belong to me. Transformers and Megatron belong to their creator. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I bet you don't have a problem keeping your nails clean with those built in pocket knives," Gears said, lifting her eyes as the robot-_decepticon,_ she corrected herself-easily stepped over a pile of smashed refrigerators.

The thing moved slow enough for Gears and her snarling dog to keep up, and it simply _amazed_ the woman how her motion never really stopped. It was a constant movement that was so perfectly fluid it was almost poetic.

The only clue Gears had that she was even listening was when the mentioned claws spun around one hand almost thoughtfully. She said without looking down, "keep in mind, fleshling, my temper is short. The only reason you're still functioning is because you repaired me."

Gears rolled her eyes. There wasn't an ounce of malice, or anything negative for that matter, in her tone. If anything, the odd robot sounded bored. She shook her head slowly, "I'm so grateful."

"You should be."

Gears bit down on a smart reply before pointing out, changing directions, "You still haven't told me your name. I know that you're a Decepticon, under the rule of Megadon or something-"

"Mega_tron_," she corrected shortly. Gears widened her strides until she passed the decepticon once her big metal shop came into view. She walked up to the garage door and, with one harsh shove, had it up as far as it would go.

"Sorry, I'm bad with names sometimes," Gears told her, "anyway, there should be enough room in here for you until you...heal."

She stepped inside, pulling her long dark red hair over her shoulder and whistling for her dog. He came to her immediately, still glaring at the giant robot. Gears pointed towards a corner in the shop with a jumbled up old comforter, "Crixus, go lay down."

Grudgingly, he did just that. Gears then turned to see why their new guest wasn't following them inside, _after_ she had demanded the woman to provide her a proper shelter to rest in. Naturally, Gears' first reaction was _really? _What was considered _proper shelter_ to a twenty foot robot?

She almost said something when she realized that the decepticon's eyes, once again, were raised to the sky. Gears crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, taking the moment to really look at the odd creature.

Now that Gears could see her entire frame, she noticed the overall build was undeniably female. Despite all of her metal pointy bits and sharp angles, she still had a graceful curve to her body. She stood straight-backed as if she had lived a life of sharp discipline. The plates of metal that made up her damaged armor menacing, but they seemed to suite her well. Her legs were long and were-wolf like, balancing on three thick claws with a fourth up in the air on her ankle. The angled pieces that made up the armor around her face and her helm were almost elegant, eventually splitting into a set of two long horns giving her the appearance of some metallic demonness.

In a way, she was beautiful.

Gears smiled at her when those red eyes lowered back to her. The woman promised her, "Don't worry, I'm not going to lock you away or anything."

The decepticon knelt and crawled through, and even _that_ was graceful. She scanned her eyes over the interior of Gears' shop. The woman walked passed her again, "It's not much, but it's home. Make yourself comfortable."

"Why are you being so compliant, fleshling?" Gears turned to find herself being stared down by the thing. She searched her expression, correcting her, "My name is Ariel, but I answer to Gears. Pick one. My name is NOT 'fleshling'."

She growled, "answer my question."

"Maybe I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart."

"Nothing comes without a price," she said slowly.

"very few things do," Gears argued, "and I can see right through you, so cut the 'I'm evil and dangerous' crap."

That seemed to confuse her. She crouched again, much like she had when she had first woken, until they were face to face. Gears half expected her to snap at her like she had been doing, but when she finally spoke, her voice was genuinely curious and...sad. She asked, "and just what do you see?"

Gears took her time, searching those eyes, so foreign to her. It was weird, seeing emotions played on a face made completely out of metal. Rationality told her it wasn't possible, but here she was. And yes, her eyes were startling in how bright they shined, red like war. But Gears had witnessed evil, she had faced danger. She knew what it looked like, and this wasn't it. Her eyes were cold, but for a completely different reason.

She answered, "loneliness. Emptiness. Darkness."

The metal face contorted into an expression of pain before returning to that ugly scowl. With a low growl, she lifted her claw blades in an unspoken threat. Gears raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm not afraid of you."

"Then I will teach you to fear me," she growled.

Gears started to snap back when Crixus jumped to his feet with a cheerful bark. The same moment, the door across the shop opened and a solid sixteen year old boy stepped inside, a grinning seven year old in his arms. The oldest was staring down at the younger boy, "Hey mom! You wouldn't believe..."

His eyes landed on Gears, then widened with fear as they settled on the red eyed metal beast crouched around her, massive claws hovering dangerously close to her head. It was the child who let out an awestruck, "WHOA!"

Gears tensed against her will, round green eyes fixed on her kids before slowly raising to the decepticon. Her heart thundered in her chest suddenly, and even skipped a few beats when she saw the robot staring intently at the two kids. She went cold down to her core.

Gears locked her gaze on her boys, her babies, her _life, _and pointed towards the door, "_Out, NOW_!"

She could not leash the fear in her voice in time. She felt it when the robot swung her gaze back down to her curiously.

_Please, God, don't let my judgment be wrong. Don't let her take my boys._

* * *

><p><strong>Demona has laid eyes on Gears' only weakness. Will she take the chance to teach her respect and fear by crushing her boys, or will she go against the Decepticon way and spare them? And what about the boys? Will they show the same backbone or trust as their mother, or will they grab her and run like hell?<strong>

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the plot belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Demona studied the new humans. She could tell that they were both young. They gaped at her, one did so in complete horror and the other in pure awe. The two were, without a doubt, from the same creators, with their matching dark red hair and familiar green eyes.

The sixteen year old took another step inside, expression changing in a flash. His eyes filled with a fierce, protective spirit that crushed all of his fears. She knew then that he was willing to give his life to protect what he loved. It was a determination she recognized, the very kind she herself had. Even if she'd rather fall dead than tell her mech creator that he needed protecting.

He snapped, eyes going back and forth between the woman and herself, "What the HELL is-"

"_OUT!"_ the woman called Gears ordered, raising her voice, "do _not_ make me tell you again!"

"To hell with that! I am _not_ leaving you with that-" he cut himself off with a panicked look when the little one in his arms wiggled free and dropped to the floor with an _'oof_'. He lunged for the child but he was quickly out of reach, rushing towards Demona and the woman. Gears called desperately, "No, baby! Go back!"

Demona switched her attention rapidly between the worried woman and the quickly approaching boy. She could almost see the fear rolling off of Gears in waves. It was then that Demona realized that these younger organics were _her_ sparklings. She was a femme creator, a 'mother'.

Something deep inside Demona's spark turned almost painfully.

The smaller child easily avoided his creator's desperate hands and almost slammed into Demona's foot. Immediately, without really processing what she was doing, Demona spun the rings around her arms until the grooves lined up and retracted her blades. She completely turned her attention towards him when he exclaimed, "_Wow!_ Can you fly?"

She blinked at him, lowering a hand to steady his trembling form when he almost fell over. His eyes doubled in size when she touched him with her hand. She had to force herself to be still when he latched on like a bad case of rust. She tensed as his tiny soft hands ran over her palm, even smaller fingers poking between the plates protecting the digits. He started firing off questions so fast she could hardly keep up, "what planet are you from? Do you have any lasers? Who made you? Do you have any friends? Can I be your friend? What's your name?"

"Alex!" Gears called weakly, "baby, leave the twenty foot tall decepticon robot alone!"

Demona lightly shook her hand to try to get rid of her new attachment but found it futile. The human sparkling was wrapped tightly around her and was simply refusing to let go.

Demona vented sharply, not sure _how _to handle the situation. She'd never been attacked by a cybertronian sparkling before, forget an organic one. How the frag was she supposed to remove him without causing some kind of damage?

Her thoughts stopped when she realized that the youngling's questions had ceased. He stared up at her with wide, round, green eyes, squeaking out, "Did I make you mad?"

The sharp threat she'd been about to let loose died in her vocal processor. Staring at the innocent boy, she couldn't help but remember when she had been so young, so afraid of triggering her mech creator's wrath. She didn't want to cause such fear in a child, decepticon or not. Gently, she closed her fingers around his fragile frame and lifted him. She looked down when she felt something else touch her and met the terrified gaze of the mother. The woman had an arm wrapped around her older son's waist to keep him from climbing up Demona's leg to get his brother back.

Demona didn't move away from the touch, only tried to soften her gaze. She looked Gears in the eye, and promised, "I will not harm him."

She watched as the woman, staring back, slowly relaxed. But Gears never took her eyes away or removed her hand from Demona's. Demona turned her optics back to the sparkling in her grasp, carefully opening her fingers. The boy pushed himself up but kept his arms firmly wrapped around her thumb. He continued to stare up at her in fear before, right before her very optics, it all faded and a huge smile took it's place. His organic green eyes seemed to shine.

He whispered to her, like he was about to tell her a big secret, "You're really pretty for a robot."

She blinked slowly, trying hard to ignore the way how her spark warmed just a little. She took in the entire form of the child and noticed something...odd.

Her gaze drifted down to fix on the boy's legs, realizing that they were, in comparison to the other two, too small for his body. They were unnaturally thin with the lack of muscle, folded beneath his body. They appeared so breakable, the reason why he had crawled and slid his way towards her rather than walk or run.

The warmth inside of her spark faded, replaced by something different.

The sparkling wiggled his little toes and said, "Momma says my legs are pretty too, but I don't think so. I wish they were strong like bubba's."

Again, he beamed up at her, "but that's OK! Because I'm still _really _fast! That's why my nick name is Critter, but my real name is Alex if you don't like nick names..."

She said quietly, knowing he was waiting for her name, "My designation is Demona, Alex."

His smile grew, and he waved shyly, "hi, Demona."

She watched him for a moment longer before she slowly lowered her hand back to the ground. Alex reluctantly removed himself to his mother's urging. She lifted his small body in her arms and held him close, kissing his head softly.

Demona couldn't help but feel a jab of jealousy. She had never known the touch or comfort of a femme creator. She quickly shot down the little voice in the back of her head that reminded her that she _would_ have a mother if Megatron hadn't murdered her.

"what are you?" the oldest sparkling asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. He still watched her warily, but now that he had his brother back he seemed to have loosened up quite a bit. Demona answered, "Cybertronian warrior of the Decepticon faction, under the rule of Megatron."

He blinked, "so...you're an...alien?"

She vented, "yes, fleshling."

Dark amusement settled in her when he corrected, just like his parent, "Alec or Pockets. I answer to both, but _not_ 'fleshling'. So pick one."

He addressed Gears next, coaxing her away from Demona a few steps, "Aunt Aurora wanted me to remind you about the flight to Mission City tomorrow morning. She wants you at the house around six, I think."

Gears cursed under her breath, "I completely forgot. Take Alex to the house. I'll be in soon."

He took the younger and gave her a tense look, "Mom..."

Again, Demona stepped in, fixing her red eyes on the boy, "she repaired me when I was near death. She is safe with me, young one."

"It didn't look that way when you had your friggin' claws at her throat earlier!" he snapped. Gears sighed and pushed him towards the door, "Alec, go."

Demona watched as, grumbling, the boy turned to leave. Alex lifted his hand in a sad wave, mouthing 'bye'. She simply inclined her head in his direction as Gears pushed them out the door. Before the woman could give a sigh of relief, Demona turned on her, "they are your sparklings."

Gears gave her a weird look, "do what?"

Demona searched for another word, "You're offspring."

"Yes," Gears answered. She put her hands on her hips and stared up, once again fearless, into Demona's eyes. Demona told her, "I won't hurt sparklings."

Gears' gaze softened, "do you have any kids?"

"No."

"Thank you for not saying anything about Alex's legs," Gears lowered her eyes and walked a few feet away to push some tool boxes over for more room, "the kids at school make fun of him so its hard."

Demona moved to the only clear corner and sat down, tone turning cautious, "why is he..."

"He was born that way," she answered, "he came into this world with a body that just wasn't working right...mentally he's always been healthy, though. He's a good kid, all he wants is a friend."

Demona's optics dimmed as exhaustion settled in. She still had injuries that self repairs would take care of, and she was still tired from her trip to earth. Quietly, she turned over all that had happened in her processor until she fell into recharge.

* * *

><p><strong>:) Longest chapter yet. <strong>

**Demona seems to have gained a little fan since her arrival... :D Alec/Pockets kinda sounds like a jerk, but he's not, just super protective of his family...he'll warm up to her eventually... I love little Alex...he's so sweet.**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers and Megatron does not. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Gears paused in her packing when the voice of her oldest son reached her, "we've got a giant alien robot warrior in our garage."

Her boy was standing in the doorway, eyebrow raised. He finished, "dare I ask why?"

Gears went back to her packing, stuffing down a folded pair of jeans, "she crash landed last night in the junk yard. Something went wrong though, because she was really torn up when I found her. I stayed up and fixed what I could and, apparently, it was enough."

"And you're letting her stay here...?"

"Where else is she going to go?" she asked, "she's still pretty damaged, and like you said, shes a giant alien robot warrior. Its not like she can just take a stroll down the street."

He huffed, "why do you trust her?"

"because she's not some evil weapon hell-bent on erasing the human race," Gears answered as he sat down on her bed, "besides, didn't you see the way she put away her blades when your brother ran into her? She'd been waving those things around since she woke up and it took one touch from him to make her put 'em up."

She watched as he fell into thought. Gears couldn't help but revert to her mom side when she reached out and brushed his red hair from his face. He didn't pull away, "she didn't hurt him..."

"She's not human, _obviously_, and she likes to throw threats around but there has to be _something_ good in her."

He scratched the back of his head, lowering his eyes, "I don't know, mom."

"Alec," Gears said, waiting for him to raise his eyes to hers, "I know its hard not to fear something you don't understand. That's just human nature. But I honestly think that if she meant us harm, she would've already smashed me. I have been kinda a smartass around her..."

He smirked, "isn't that your key quality?"

She mirrored his expression then went back to folding clothes. He helped her by carefully rearranging what she already had packed so she had more room. After a long moment of silence, he tried again, "so...you really don't think she's dangerous."

"She's dangerous, but not psycho. Besides, if she ever hurt one of my boys I'd dismember her and melt her down. Then I'd start my own line of waffle irons."

She smiled softly when he broke out into laughter.

* * *

><p>A harsh pull to the spark rose Demona from her deep recharge almost instantly. Her red optics onlined, lighting up the now dark building. There was pressure deep inside, as if a great fist had closed around her spark.<p>

Tangles of strained patience reached her through her bond with her mech creator. No command or direction echoed through, so she gave a sharp tug back to let him know she acknowledged. Shifting in the shadows, she split her attention between a thorough scan on repairs and searching the world wide web for an acceptable alternate form.

She pushed open the door and slipped outside. She rose to her full height and lifted her eyes to the sky, all thought slowing as she saw the net of shining stars overhead.

Demona tore her gaze away when a voice whispered, "hey, aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

She knelt, blinking at the tiny human sparkling. He was settled in a half broken lawn chair, a colorful blanket covering his malformed legs. She countered, "aren't you?"

He blinked back then sighed and looked away. His hands hid under the covering, "I can't sleep. Bad dreams."

Demona moved to stand again but froze when he called, "Hey! Where are you going, Demona?"

"Megatron calls," she told him tonelessly, "I must go."

"But...you just got here!"

Demona vented quietly. She was searching for the right thing to say when he started up again, "will you come back?"

The amount of hope and sadness in his voice had her spark pulsing painfully. Demona stared hard at him, watching the emotions shine in his eyes. He pulled out a hand and reached out to touch a claw on her foot, "you're not leaving because of me, right? I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you if you stay!"

"Young one," Demona said softly, "you have done nothing."

He sighed with relief and tightened his hold on her, "then we're friends, right?"

Now how the _frag _was she supposed to respond to that one? She'd hardly known the sparkling for twelve hours. Demona struggled for an answer when a chilling voice filled her processor through her comm link, open to the other members of the decepticon faction; _'Decepticons, assemble.' _She'd never heard the voice before but she knew he was an ally.

"I must go," she told him. She forced down a wince when a heartbroken look filled his expression. Carefully, she lifted him and his chair and set him inside and out of the cold. She turned away before he could suck her back in and made her way through the junkyard. She found her alternate as she stepped into the open and quickly transformed down.

Demona left the small family of humans behind.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh...not at all happy with the first half from Gears' POV. It seems really strained and uncomfortable with all the dialogue...but I just couldn't figure out how to fix it. anyway, the point of it was to start establishing a trust thing between Gears and Demona. I'm really, REALLY sorry for that. <strong>

**I slapped Demona's POV on there because they were too short to be separate and, since the first half was bungled up pretty bad, I figured it'd be better to soften it with it...HOPEFULLY we'll be seeing some real action in the next few chapters. **

**_To my reviewers_- you guys are _amazing_. I check my lap top like ten times a day to reread your responses because I STILL can't believe I'm doing something right here. I really love hearing your input on this story. :) It makes me want to work harder on making it better.**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Megatron and transformers do not. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Gears drug herself out of bed at five am the next morning and yanked on her nicest pair of jeans, the ones that had only _one_ hole in them. She walked out of her room her bare feet silent on the cold floor, stopping by the laundry room to grab a clean t-shirt on her way.

A soft smile spread across her face when the smell of pancakes on the stove reached her. She followed the scent trail into the kitchen where her sixteen year old son was shamelessly wearing her pink apron and muttering to himself about 'giant effing yorkies'. Gears crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, breaking the quiet, "hm, waking up extra early on a _saturday _AND making his momma breakfast...somebody wants something..."

She bit down laughter when he jumped, sending her a sharp look. It faded when she walked in and ruffled his hair. Gears said, "good morning, Pockets."

"Hey mom," he paused to yawn, "and I don't want anything! I just wanted to make sure you got something to eat."

"Riiight..." Gears drew the word out. She paused when a look of controlled confusion crossed his face. He said, "our giant robot vanished into thin air."

"Well-" Gears stopped and blinked. _Wait...giant robot? _"What robot?"

He gave her a weird look and yelped when she yanked him down by the apron so they were eye level. She squinted at his surprised green eyes, "Alec James, if I find out you're on drugs-"

"MOM!" he snapped, "_really?_"

She sent him a _'don't lie to me, boy'_ look when it all came crashing back, "you mean the decepticon robot?"

"What other giant robot is there? Geez, Mom, you need to get back to bed, you're freaking me out."

She blinked again, "huh. She must be feeling better."

"I miss Demona," came a heartbroken whisper. Gears looked down and knelt as her youngest scooted in. He stared down at his hands, "she left last night, said that Megadon was calling her."

Gears held back the urge to correct him because he wasn't done yet. He raised his eyes to them as Pockets squatted down on her left, "but how can she get a call from anyone if she doesn't have a phone?"

Pockets suggested, "well, maybe shes got one built in. She _is _a robot."

The boy shrugged. Gears smiled gently at him, "are you hungry, baby? Your brother made breakfast for us."

His precious eyes brightened, "Yeah! What'd you make bubba?"

Pockets waggled his eyebrows and deepened his voice, "Pancakes!"

The kitchen filled with the child's laughter.

Twenty minutes later Gears was heading for the front door, bag in hand. She yelled back, "remember! No strangers! Don't unlock the door, and if anything happens-"

"Call you first," Pockets cut off, opening the door for her, "mom, it's ok. Just get out of here already. You're going to be late."

Gears kissed him on the cheek and the younger, in his arms, on the nose. The little one giggled and let his fingers run through her loose red hair, "bye momma, be safe."

"I will, sweetie," she promised. Gears stepped outside, laughing when Pockets stuck his head out the door and shot her a sharp look, "make sure aunt Aurora gets a new purse in Mission City, because that one looks mysteriously like the Johnson's cat." He grinned at her, "have fun, mom!"

She started off, petting Crixus, who was beginning 'guard duty' early and was wide awake, on the head as she went. She blew a kiss at them and made her way over to the only two working vehicles in the junkyard; a big red dodge crew cab hooked up to a flat bed trailer and a little black mazda. She took the car and drove off to meet up with her sister.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm...Gears is leaving for Mission City this morning...Demona left last night to Megatron's urging...<em>somethings<em> about to go down... ;)**

**Another small chapter, but I wanted to shed more light on the bond Gears and her family share. **

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. 'Megadon' and transformers do not. :p**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Demona listened to the harsh bickering between two of her comrades and couldn't help but question their sanity. She did so mentally, of course. She hadn't so much as uttered a word to any of them. _Why? _Because there was a _reason_ she was the only femme on earth, the only one she had ever even heard of. Demona had a good idea of what that reason was, and it had her spark cold. Instincts told her to keep her vocals silent, and she had been taught to trust those instincts.

_I can hold out until Megatron awakens,_ she thought distantly.

She felt coils of fear in her spark, knowing what these mechs were capable of as decepticons. She was a perfect killer, she knew she could crush most of them, but even she, under all of her training, could not take on so many if they all chose to team up on her.

But if the did, she would fight back, and she would rip a few of their sparks out of their chests before she went down. From day one she had been molded into a weapon of massacre. And massacre she would.

Demona weaved through the endless lines of cars. She was constantly getting complaints and honks, but she paid no mind to them. She never slowed down, never paused. If she kept this pace up, she'd be there soon. _Very _soon.

Her spark flew when she felt new awareness through her bond. Gently, she reached out for his spark and fed him more strength as he finally onlined, after all of these long years. She gave him what he needed for a quick recovery. '_Soon I will be at your side, Megatron', _she sent through the bond before her attention fell elsewhere.

Speeding across Arizona territory, she felt a light tug on her processor. Immediately turning her attention to it, she picked up a line of odd energy signatures that were nothing like those of a decepticon. As she grew closer and closer to them, she struggled for an answer until the obvious presented itself.

_Autobots._

Her entire frame tensed. There was _four_ of them. _Four _battle-hardened mechs,_ four_ foes.

They came in sight, disguised as four powerful, gleaming vehicles that stood out with their coloring. Proud. Strong.

Demona prepared to pull off some serious stunts to get past them when _they _noticed _her. _She snarled as the monstrous black pick up ahead of her hit the breaks, tires squealing on the asphalt.

_I must reach Megatron._

Demona's defensive routines kicked on and stats and scenarios rushed through her processor, one right after another. The Top Kick began to unfold, pieces clicking into place and plates of armor rearranging. For such a big mech he transformed quickly.

She moved fast, tripling her speed to dart past his legs. She purposely swung her rear end to knock his stance loose then abruptly cut off the search and rescue hummer that was next in line, causing _him _to swerve sharply. Next was a sleek little silver solstice, but he, anticipating her move, slid out to block _her_ path.

Demona managed to weave her larger form around him and then escaped the huge, reaching hands of their leader by mere inches. She shot away before they could regroup and pursue.

She continued traveling at break neck speeds until she arrived at her destination-Hoover Dam.

She slid to a stop just as her mech creator emerged, so unbelievably powerful, his merciless red optics falling upon an underling. But, feeling her presence through the creator bond, he fixed them on her instead. Demona sat quietly, awaiting his orders like she had always done before. She tried her fragging hardest to restrain her childish joy from simply _seeing_ him again. She had been alone for so long...

Feeling it despite her efforts, his gaze, for a moment, filled with that same twisted pride he only held for her. Her spark hummed contentedly when he reached through the bond and pulled lightly, '_It is time to prove yourself, Demona. Are you prepared?'_

_ 'Yes, Megatron.' _She answered, solidifying her answer with a squeeze of pride and the determination to serve. _I've waited so long for this day, _the thought echoed through her processor softly as he and the other pushed off their perches and transformed into their aerial alternates in the air, blasting away.

She peeled away after them, feeling alive for the first time in years as she followed him into battle.

* * *

><p><strong>...And so it begins. <strong>

**I REALLY wanted to do a big scene where they reunited, but since Megatron is Megatron and since the allspark is within reach...no-can-do, but I do plan on having moments later where they talk...**

**I posted two chapters tonight because our internet connection is being a glitch...don't know when I'll be able to update again... :( sorry guys, I still love ya and I'll be back up with more as soon as I can.**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Megatron and Transformers do not. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"You know what I want?"

Gears blinked at her younger sister, stopping when she did on the sidewalk. The younger answered, pushing her blonde hair out of her face, "a gps system with Orlando Bloom's voice."

Gears snorted in laughter, successfully getting a glare from her. She snapped, indignant, "what's so funny?"

"That is the most ridiculously random thing that's ever left your mouth," Gears explained, "Aurora, you're beginning to worry me."

"You always worry about me..." Aurora grumbled. Gears smiled at her, "comes with the job of being a big sister."

The two started walking again once the street was clear. Aurora let her eyes trail over Mission City and tried again, "who's voice would you have?"

The answer was automatic. Gears smiled, "Sean Connery or Sam Elliot. Mmmm."

Aurora sent her a weird look, "you'd never get anywhere. You'd be making wrong turns all the time just to hear them."

The older grinned. They both paused when a strange whine filled the air, coming from above. Gears raised her eyes as a shadow passed over them, "huh."

"What is that, a jet?" her sister squinted, "what the hell is a raptor doing out here?"

Gears didn't answer, body tensing on its own accord. She had felt this tension before, the night the sky had lit up. When a flaming object had crashed into her junk yard, when the massive robot inside revealed itself and proved to her that yes, life was _still _full of surprises.

Something was going to happen.

Gears took her sister's hand, reverting back to the nickname the blonde hated so much, "Spots, we need to get out of here."

"Ariel," Aurora whispered, feeling her older sibling's discomfort, "what is it?"

Gears squeezed her hand lightly and started to step towards a shop across the street with boarded in windows. Her foot was still in the air with the earth shook with a **'BOOM'**. Both women hit the ground.

"What the hell-" Aurora cut herself off as a flash of liquid silver rushed past, followed by a massive but quick black truck. The two vehicles had been inches away from flattening the two of them. Gears had enough control over her growing panic to shake her fist at them and shout, "ASS!"

She pulled the two of them up and shoved her sister towards the shop. Gears managed to step out of the street before a third one, the color of dark rose petals, swerved around the corner and followed them. She cursed under her breath, "stupid ass kids..."

"Ariel," Aurora squeaked. Immediately the older turned to her, concern showing in her eyes, "what is it, Spo-"

She stared with wide eyes as a chopper of some sort dove between the buildings and, right there in the street, grew legs and arms. Gears blinked slowly, distantly aware that her sister was near hysterical. The robot landed, the concrete cracking beneath it's feet and spider-webbing outwards.

"Spots," Gears ordered, hardening her tone to get through to her, "get inside." She shoved the younger through. Aurora yelped but didn't fight.

Gears turned to follow when another explosion, though closer, brought her to her knees. She raised her eyes in time to see men in military dress, dirty, sweaty, and determined, quickly take cover in various places, eyes locked on the copter.

Her eyes flew back to the robot, fixing on his face. Red eyes. _Is he a decepticon?_ She looked away, taking in her surroundings.

Stone and brick were crumbling like sand, smoke was beginning to fill the streets. The earth rattled with more explosions, almost constantly. There was shouts ringing out, harsh curses and the agonized screams of the injured. As she took it in, things became clear to her.

Their little vacation had dropped them right in the middle of a war zone.

As her eyes full upon the decepticon again, a minivan pulled into view, swerving wildly when the driver saw him. The van squealed as someone hit the brake pedal. Gears watched, horrified, as he swept down one massive hand lazily to smack at it.

The minivan became air born, spiraling through the dirt and the smoke, crashing less than ten feet away. The screams of the mother and the children inside died on impact. The sudden silence hurt Gears more than the agonized wails.

Brain numb, Gears rushed to it and managed to slam the drivers door open after a lot of pulling and cursing. She leaned inside and pressed her hands to the small woman's face. She was a tiny thing of hispanic decent, with beautiful skin and shining black hair. Her dark eyes were still open, but the light was gone from them. Blood ran down from where she had hit her head on the steering wheel, legs crushed inside bent metals. She was still, silent.

"Dammit," Gears hissed, dropping her hands. She pulled herself out of the car and almost jumped when she saw Aurora standing there, green eyes wide and fixed on the battle in front of them. Gears tried her hardest to glare first, but the younger snapped to attention and beat her to it. She said, "I am _not_ leaving you out here alone! And don't even think about pulling 'big sister' rank on me or I'll punt your butt to Africa!"

"Then shut up and help me! Theres kids-" and that was all she had to say before the younger jumped forward. Together they managed to slide the door open. Gears wished they hadn't.

Somewhere in the chaos, a seat belt had failed. The car seat it had been securing lay snapped in two, and the small baby that it had been protecting lay in a still heap on the floor boards.

Gears could do nothing but stare, eyes wide. Beside her, Aurora's face became wet with silent tears.

The older tore her eyes away when her heart clenched painfully, turning to the twins that took up the rest of the seat. They were slumped over boneless in the seats, eyes open.

All three babies were dead. Three innocent, beautiful kids.

Rage, blinding and burning, pushed through her. He was a decepticon-if he was _anything_ like Demona, he wouldn't have done it..._right?_ Demona seemed to value life. After all, she hadn't squashed her baby when he nearly attacked her with questions.

She raised her eyes as a second robot made his appearance. He was much stockier, powerful. His armor, blacker than night, was scratched and dented from battle. The plates around his wrists shifted like Demona's, lifting and spiraling to form a pair of _huge _cannons.

He spun and dropped to a knee, firing at the decepticon and sending him reeling. A yellow one joined in, running passed the thick one and swinging lethal saws. Unlike the decepticon, these two watched their foot work to avoid stepping on or kicking any bumbling humans.

Squinting, Gears realized that these guys had _blue _eyes, and they had much smoother armor than all the pointy sharp bits the decepticons seemed to favor.

Gears and her sister dove away from the vehicle as a stray shot hit it. She used her body to protect Aurora's, turning her back to it as pieces of debris shot into the air. Luckily, they were only glazed. She swung around to attack when a strong hand landed on her arm. Before the military guy crouching there could even open his mouth, Aurora was up and demanding, "What the HELL is going on?"

He ignored her question, yelling over the noise, "Take cover, now! It's not safe here!"

Gears snorted, _gee, no kidding._ Outloud she said, pointing towards the chopper as it struggled against the two, "what are the decepticons after?"

A look of complete shock filled his face but before he could answer, a streak of dark red caught her eye and she turned away from him to see what was coming.

The same car that had peeled after those first two in the beginning was making a comeback, the sunlight glinting off it's rose red paint. It was a snarling 2010 dodge charger, waves of fierce power almost rolling off it.

Gears felt a prick on her conscious. She watched with a dark sense of knowing filling her as it rolled up the smashed end of an abandoned Neon and shot into the air. Her jaw dropped when it transformed mid-leap, changing in a familiar graceful manner that completely outdid the others. The motion didn't stop until a second decepticon emerged and landed on the shoulders of the big black one, sending him face first into the asphalt. Bands of red metal spun around her arms and a set of lethal claw blades slid out. She plunged one hand into her enemy's leg, killing his ability to walk. He snarled.

Gears felt her eyes widen as she spoke, tone cold, "where is the cube?"

"Demona?" Gears breathed. The soldier tried to yank her and her sister back, a look of utter fear on his face as those same empty red eyes fell upon her.

* * *

><p><strong>Turns out I could fix the connection problem manually, so no worries. :) <strong>

**Longest chapter yet! And we're FINALLY seeing some action...Also, I'm not going to try that hard to stick to the movie. Since Demona and Gears are in this story, things are obviously going to happen in a different way...so I apologize now if any of you have problems with that...**

**And yeah, Demona's ground alt is a dodge charger. Why? Because it's a larger-ish car and she is a 'big' girl, like Ratchet-size, so she needs a bigger alt...also, I have a fondness for those cars. They have a fierce look to them, and still kinda look sleek to me at the same time, so there you go. I personally think it fits her. :) and I was debating on making her a gunmetal gray...but something about dark red makes me think of her. I have no idea why...**

**And I don't think IronHide cares for her too much right now...(cackles)**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers does not.**

**Remember! Updates are almost daily! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_No. You're not supposed to be here. _Demona couldn't silence the whispers in her mind. She bit down the urge to snarl and threaten Gears into hiding, but something told her that if she did the woman would do the exact opposite. _You have sparklings. You don't belong in this war. They still need you._

She forced herself to focus, tearing her optics away to fix on her victim as he struggled to rise. She moved a foot down to one side of his back, sinking her toes into the gaps between the armor there. He hissed in pain. She said, "be still, autobot."

Demona raised her gaze back to her comrade when he ducked beneath the yellow mech's angry saws. With a snarl he swung his fist and hit the autobot in the chest, sending him sliding back. For that brief moment of relief, the decepticon faced her with rage-filled crimson optics. He swung his arm out in a direction, "the fleshling boy has it in his grasp! They plan to take it out of the city!"

Demona snarled when shots of searing heat slammed into her armor. She turned her body from the waist up, still perched on the black mech, to find humans taking shelter in nearby buildings. They were aiming their weapons, a number of expressions on their faces. Some were determined, some were _grinning_, but most had looks of complete fear glued to their face.

Briefly she contemplated collapsing the building they were hiding in to end them, but a sharp clench in her spark had her changing her mind. She faced her ally as he raised an arm to protect his face as a few shots were fired at him. She commanded, raising her voice so he could hear, "Transform and pursue. I will take care of the autobots."

He hesitated, lowering his arm to stare at her. There was a twisted look of overwhelming lust and genuine curiosity stamped on his face plates. Demona tensed slightly, just then realizing how _big _of a mech he was. She closed the claws of one hand and growled, "Designation."

"Blackout," he answered automatically, "you, femme?"

"Demona," she narrowed her optics at him, "now move!"

He must have realized that she wasn't just another one of Megatron's pawns, that she held _some _kind of rank, because he nodded and jumped up into the air. His massive form folded down back into his alternate and he took off. She watched him leave.

She looked at the yellow autobot that was now approaching her. Rather than rushing in like she had seen him do before, he was cautiously stalking towards her, searching her form for any weaknesses. There was a dark curiosity in his gaze, but mostly he appeared sad. He said, voice surprising her, "one of the last femmes alive and you're in _their _faction."

Demona growled low in her throat, looking over him. There was thick streams of energon emptying from wounds, his armor was torn and some plates were even missing. Split cables had been hastily resealed, the job messy and easily spotted. She began to put things together in her processor, noting the true extent of the damage he had already taken. She had training in cybertronian medicine. She had had to study it since Megatron was the only one allowed to see her, and he was certainly no good with injuries. She had always had to take care of her own wounds, so she could see all the second-long patch-ups that dotted his frame. _Medical training is saving him._

What surprised her was that he wasn't off some where, tending to his wounds before he offlined. He was dangerously close to overdoing it, and he knew it. But he was determined to get to his heavier friend.

The realization had Demona's spark pulsing painfully.

Slowly, Demona unlocked her toes from the mech's back. She felt his body almost sag with relief beneath her. Her voice softened, loosing the hard edge she had used when speaking to Blackout, "tend to your wounded, medic. Get him and yourself out of the open before that fragging seeker finds you."

A look of confusion crossed his face and she explained, "I won't take advantage of the injured...but he won't have a problem with crushing you both in this state."

"A decepticon with honor," the big black mech ground out, "now I've seen it all."

Still standing on him to keep him down, Demona let out a sound similar to a snort. Mentally she cursed when that fragging red headed woman walked closer and yelled, "Demona! What the hell are you-!"

Demona spun around when she sensed an enemy behind. She turned just in time to feel the impact of the attack, knocked back and off the huge mech by a much smaller one with gleaming silver armor. A visor covered his optics, telling her immediately what class he was. He was a quick slagger, too.

Demona spun the claws around one hand, making a grab for him. He dropped back down and took hold of her other arm in an attempt to use her weight to throw her but she knew better. She swept her claws towards him, leaving deep gouges in his armor. He pulled away before she could seriously damage and jumped up her arm to land on her shoulders.

Demona moved quickly, sinking her blades into his leg and tearing him off. She tossed him in the air and slammed her elbow into his body when he was level with it. He went flying backwards.

Demona faced him when he landed gracefully. He grinned at her, "They may not be feelin' too hot, but I'm feelin' good!"

In answer, Demona took on the stance her creator had taught her to use. Before they could start again Gears planted herself between them and snapped, "STOP!"

Demona couldn't stop it this time. She snarled, "You're not supposed to be here! Move, _fleshling_!"

Gears glared at her darkly but then turned her attention to the saboteur, "she just spared the lives of your comrades _and _she hasn't even tried to hurt those soldiers, and I _know _their attacks are hurting her! So _Back The Hell OFF!"_

Demona couldn't see his optics, but she could tell that he was shocked to the point of being 'speechless'.

Gears turned her wrath upon Demona next, "_You_! Why did you let that flying bastard take off? He just killed a family! _Three_ babies, Demona! _Three_ innocent babies that will never see daylight again! What if my boys had been in that van? Would you have still let him go if it had been Alex laying dead and cold on the floor!"

The woman's voice was rising. The decepticon part of Demona hated being yelled at, but listening to her, an unexplainable pain and shame coursed through her. A harsh image of the human sparkling, broken and lifeless, laying in his own blood flashed through her processor. She wasn't expecting the flare of rage she felt seeing it, and she didn't know where the sudden need to protect came from.

And if she thought _that_ was bad, what came next was horrible.

Gears threw her hands up in the air, "I've only know you for twelve or thirteen hours, but I _know _that you are better than this! You are not some hell-spawned tool of war!"

"You know nothing," Demona snarled, feeling something stab her spark when she brought up being a tool, "foolish fleshling!"

Gears pointed a finger at her, determined to get her point across, "You are too gentle for this, Demona! You're not a killer! All of us know that there is _something _good in you, and I will be _damned _before I watch it die!"

Demona's processor was numb. She couldn't form a complete thought. Her spark pulsed in agony as the weight and meaning of the human's words slammed into her. She struggled for something to say to ease Gears' rage. She actually took a step away from her when a voice whispered in her head, _you are NOTHING but his deadliest tool. You are not his sparkling. You are his weapon._

"Dammit, Dem," Gears whispered, lowering her hand to push through her hair weakly, "Alex already loves you. He thinks your a gift from God, and he misses you so much that it hurts him. You're the first one he's met that hasn't outright stared or said something demeaning. Don't do this. Not to him."

As if they had a will of their own, her claw blades slid back into place on her arms. The same moment a certain raptor shot past and let loose a round of shots. On instinct, Demona knelt and covered Gears. She scooped the woman up and held her close, snarling, "Fragging seeker!"

_We'll see how well you fly without those slagging wings.._she thought darkly as he disappeared. She waited until she was sure he was gone before lowering Gears back down. She gave the woman an empty look, "find shelter, now."

Gears stared up at her with tired green eyes. She reached out and touched her foot, "what about you?"

"I must fight," Demona answered. Gears shot her a hard stare before she ran back to her panicking sibling. They both dove back inside the building that had originally taken refuge in.

She rose to her full height, noticing the wide-eyed looks she was getting from the three mechs. The medic was kneeling beside the largest of the three, making quick and temporary repairs so he could get back on his feet.

It was the silver mech who stepped towards her, and said, "your designations Demona, right?"

Demona looked up when Megatron called for her through the bond. She transformed into her dark red alternate and sped away, leaving him without an answer.

* * *

><p><strong>It looks like the 'fragging red headded woman' is finally getting under all that harsh armor made from years of silence and solitude, it even looks like little Alex beat her to it. It just took a good yelling in the middle of a battle zone and in front of three now overly curious mechs for Demona to realize what kind of effect her time, though small, spent with the humans has caused. <strong>

**Demona has finally shown herself to her comrades, and already one's been eyeballin' her. Three of the Autobots know of her now, what will Prime's reaction be when he realizes he has a niece? (no, seriously...)**

**I'm sorry if Jazz seems a little OC, I've never had to write him in a story before so it's...a learning experience, I guess. And sorry for the battle scene, it sounds kinda corny...**

**and wow! twenty reviews! I don't think I've ever gotten more than three before! Thanks guys! It really makes me want to keep this story going! Hugs to you!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Transformers and it's characters do not. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Demona could feel his hate through their bond, and it only strengthened as she grew closer and closer to his location.

She had been up and down these streets, weaving through the wreckage, to fight autobots and hunt for the All Spark. But she was just now beginning to see what their war was doing to those caught in the middle.

Vehicles were smashed, some even stacked to clear a path like the towers in Gears' junk yard. The scent of burnt flesh, melting alloys, spilled energon, and fresh blood filled the air. A thick haze of smoke and dirt seemed to hang permanently over Mission City, but she could still see.

She could still see the bodies littering the streets. Fragile humans that had been crushed in the course of battle. Men. Women. Children. Old. Young. Some were screaming in agony, clawing their way to their companions. Others had long since lost the strength to and lay still, awaiting death.

Crushed in an ancient war that was not theirs.

_He said that we were good, _she thought distantly, _we fight for a just cause, to find a solution. We will save Cybertron, and we will bring on an age of peace after so much slaughter. _

She almost slammed to a stop when she spotted a clump of bloody dark red hair in the haze, but a closer look told her that it _wasn't_ that fragging woman.

_The Autobots are the enemy. They would kill us all if they had the chance._

Somewhere down a different way, a human sparkling began to cry for his creators.

_This is NOT peace._

Demona vented and forced herself to focus on the battle she knew was awaiting her. Sacrifices, casualties, had to be made in a war. It was _supposed_ to happen this way. Their time had simply come. This was what had happened on Cybertron, and they were going to bring their home planet back to it's old glory. It would be worth it.

A voice in the back of her processor snarled, _Cybertron is dead. No sun __will light it's skies. There is nothing left to save. You KNOW this._

Before she could let the declaration fester in her mind, she turned onto a wider street and doubled her speed as her mech creator came into view.

Demona watched as he snarled and slammed into a second mech, one she recognized as the Autobot leader, Prime. The autobot flew back from the impact, hitting the side of a building with a quiet groan. He forced himself back up and rushed Megatron, but Demona was upon him before he could realize it, and swung her form sideways with the screech of tires. Her body hit his foot and effectively knocked his balance loose. He fell backwards with a boom.

Demona shifted forms quickly, placing a hand on the cracked asphalt to swing her body around so she landed on Megatron's left. Her claw blades appeared, spinning in anticipation. She slipped into her stance, optics locked on the powerful mech before them as he climbed back to his feet.

He was so _tall_, with blue and red armor. He was smaller than her mech creator, with a leaner frame. But searching his form for any weaknesses, Demona found none, and knew that he was a deadly force. But there was also something...different about him. He stood straight, even after taking a couple of hard hits, his battle mask firmly in place and glowing blue optics determined. There was an air of leadership about him, an air of honor. She could sense that there was something in him that set him far apart from any of those in her faction.

At first, his gaze fixed on Megatron, seeing the larger's sick grin. Then they lowered to her and, mimicking his soldiers, they widened upon taking in her form.

Megatron chuckled beside her, "have you met Demona, Prime?" he shifted one foot ahead and leaned forward slightly, the claws of one hand closing in a fist, "she's my new little '_soldier'..._"

Demona's spark, despite it's weariness from the events of the day, hummed warmly when he staked his claim on her. All doubts and questions fled from her processor. She curled her claws in, shifting closer to him on impulse. Again, his dark chuckle reached her.

Demona gently prodded at the creator bond, '_The human boy has the cube. I will pursue at your command, Megatron.' _

_'No',_ he answered, tone sharp enough to make her flinch, '_Distract Prime. The last time I let one go after it, the fool failed. I will retrieve the cube myself.'_

_'Yes, Megatron.' _Her reply was toneless.

She felt an almost painful squeeze around her spark from him. He warned softly, _'I spared your life, Demona. Do NOT make me regret that mercy.'_

Demona tensed and snarled, claw blades on both hands beginning to spin rapidly.

Megatron sent a look of black amusement towards Prime before he changed shape into his aerial alternate and shot off. The autobot leader turned to follow, finally snapping out of his shock, but Demona lunged forward. She jumped high into the air to land on his shoulders, swiping one set of spiraling blades at his armor, slicing through it like cheap tin. He gave a strangled growl and grabbed for her but she was already on the ground again, crouched in front of him. She told him, voice low, "I am your opponent."

He lifted his eyes to her, one hand raised to clench at his mangled shoulder armor, and stared, "you're just a youngling. A femme youngling."

"I've been fighting for my life since the hour of my creation," she told him. _I will not fail Megatron._

Demona moved then, taking advantage of his confusion. She slammed into his larger frame and managed to send him back two steps before he recovered and almost _tossed_ her away. Demona stayed on her feet, clenching her claws. He slid down into his own stance, broad, glowing blades sliding out from beneath the armor on his arms. His optics narrowed, "you don't belong in this war."

"I was created to _end_ this war," she snarled, jumping forward.

Sparks flew as blades clashed, filling the air with the song of battle.

* * *

><p><strong>GAWD, this chapter <em>kicked my ass<em>! It took me hours just to write up this three-page long monstrosity...which is just _sad_.**

**I _really_ wanted Demona to have conflict inside after Gears blew up on her, so her head and her spark is really just one huge mess right now...the bugger still sees nothing bad in Megatron, though, so naturally she's ready to drop everything for him...**

**The scene with Prime was agonizing.  
>When I finally got down to it, I had no idea how to have him act when he first saw Demona, or what any of the three of them would say, or how Megatron would even <em>introduce <em>Demona...I didn't want to pull out the whole "You're an Uncle, Prime!" thing yet...  
>I still don't know if I'm happy with the chapter or flat out disappointed, but it was the best I could think of. So if he's not...'Prime-ish', I'm sorreh!<strong>

**And we'll probably be floating around with Demona for a while, but we'll definetely see Gears and her kids later. **

**OH! And I FINALLY started on the artwork for Demona! So soon I'll have a picture of her up here so you can see what she looks like! 8D**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Demona didn't have time to think.

Prime came at her, moving much quicker than what she expected of a mech his size. He hit _hard_, every blow that met her blades rattled her down to her core. More than once the impact threatened to topple or break her, but she fought back.

Megatron had not created, or raised, a weak femme. She had been molded into a warrior by his hands, and a warrior she would be.

Prime was fast, but Demona was faster. She slipped past his guard and glazed his battle-mask, leaving a deep scratch in it, before he retaliated. He slammed the flat of an orange blade against her chest. Demona stepped back, spun, and shoved the claw-like toes of her foot into his gut hard enough to split his armor in half. He staggered away, pausing to recover and stare. _Again._

She could see the confusion in his optics, the growing pile of questions he had. Demona waited for him to move or speak. At last, he seemed to settle on something and straightened marginally from his crouch when the autobot medic rushed in.

His hand was clenched over a new wound in his side. "Optimus!" he called, "Megatron is after Sam!"

The larger spun to face him. Demona stepped forward to stop him from going after her creator, but was forced to stop when a pack of F-22 Raptors flew overhead, dropping a round of shots upon her that actually melted through her thick armor.

She instinctively doubled over to protect her front but an unexpected, explosive agony in her chest alerted her that she was too late. One of them had hit dangerously close to her spark chamber.

Her optics dimmed slightly as sharp red alerts blared through her processor; _Seek Medical Assistance._

"_Weak_!" she snarled when her legs threatened to crumble beneath her. _I cannot fail!_

Demona forced herself to stand straight. She looked for Prime, keeping one claw-covered hand over her spark as it pulsed painfully. But the autobot was long gone, only the medic remained.

Cursing, Demona ran a quick scan to see the extent of her damage. Fortunately, the only real wound was the one by her spark. The others were mere scratches, the shots having spent all of their heat and energy just going through her armor. _I can still fight._

She transformed down into her alternate mode and peeled away, swinging between the yellow mech's legs. She sped down the streets, swerving to avoid obstacles and bodies. She increased her speed until the red and blue semi came into view, pushing himself to the limit to get to Megatron.

Demona was gaining on him when a liquid silver Solstice slid out in front of her. To avoid crashing into him and badly damaging them _both_, she hit the brakes. The same moment she did, he changed forms in a flurry of glinting turns and flips.

Demona followed his example, plunging the claws of one arm into the asphalt as soon as her arms were free before her momentum sent her flying into a building. He grinned at her, coming to a stop and crouching low, "I'm not done with you yet!"

Demona snarled at him, narrowing her optics, "stay out of my way!"

"Sorry, lil' miss! No can do!"

Demona tensed to attack, feeling her strength return to her as her body began to adjust to the pain in her chest. She was _slagging determined_ to get to Prime before he met Megatron, even if it met tearing through this fragger first. Her claw blades spun almost hungrily. His grin widened and almost turned evil. He stepped forward...

A woman screamed in complete fear from the foot of the building behind Demona, joined by the sobbing wails of a tiny human sparkling.

Demona ripped her optics away from the silver mech to focus on them on impulse, something in the human's tone snatching her attention. The female was on the ground, using one arm to drag herself while she held her infant with the other. Tears and blood wet her face, making paths through her thick mask of dirt and ash.

A sound like thunder filled the air, drowning out the cries of the wounded and distant gunfire. Widening, her gaze left the pair to travel up the old building they were trying to crawl away from.

The Seeker was perched on the edge, his evil stare fixed solely on her as if she was the only thing he could see. Beneath his weight, the already heavily damaged structure seemed to shudder in a terrible way. Huge cracks cut through the brick and stone in the center as the substance beneath his feet began to crumble into dust-sized particles.

His optics seemed to brighten when he saw he had her attention. He lowered his eyes down to the humans before the plates of alloy on his arm shifted and broke back to reform a blaster.

_'This is NOT peace', _the whisper in her mind repeated.

Demona watched, almost horrified, as he lowered his weapon and fired at the building. It buckled beneath the force and fell in pieces towards the ground, towards the human and her child. He leaped off the edge and folded down into his jet form to pursue the other raptors.

Demona dropped her gaze back to the humans, assessing the situation as she moved. The older's leg was bent at an odd shape, broken, forbidding her from escaping. The human screamed at the top of her organic lungs for help, hugging her sparkling to her chest.

Demona's hand lashed out, having retracted her claw blades, and slammed into the chest of the autobot. He went tumbling down the street before he was crushed beneath the building. She then, swiping what pieces of stone that had already almost fell upon them out of the air, bent her form carefully over the pair.

The first chunks of debris bounced off her armor, but the pieces grew in size and weight as the roar grew louder, sending wave after wave of searing pain through her systems. Her body whined with the strain.

Demona scooped the mother and child up off the ground and held them closer as her legs gave beneath the weight. Mentally, she viciously cursed herself for this weakness, for not being able to stand watching another sparkling and it's mother perish in this horrid war. She cursed Megatron, for bringing her into this world for the sake of creating an unstoppable weapon of destruction. She cursed Gears for believing that she _wasn't_ just some unstoppable weapon of destruction.

She reached out for her mech creator, opening her spark to him so he could feel her fear, her pain, her _need_ for his comfort. She struggled to stay online and wait for him, for a response. Surely, he would come. Surely, he would ease her spark and come and pull her out of his organic grave. He would save her..._wouldn't he?_

_I am his creation, his sparkling, his...daughter..._

She waited, and waited, as her body began to numb and bend beneath the structure.

But it was the voice of Gears, not Megatron, that reached her as she curled around the sobbing humans protectively while the world fell apart around her.

_"...You are too gentle for this, Demona! You're not a killer! All of us know that there is __something__ good in you, and I will be __damned__ before I watch it die!..."_

* * *

><p><strong>:'(<br>****Starscream, you cybertronic douche bag...**

**She can face Prime and take little to no wounds, she was even created and raised by Megatron alone and came out_ without_ a screwy head, but even her bad-aft can't take the pressure of holding up a so-many-stories-tall _building...  
><em>My heart goes out to you, Dem.**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Demona awakened to an impossible agony.

Immediately, she set about shutting down her pain sensors, _all _of them. As she began to grow numb to it all, memories came rushing back to her, images that blazed through her processor with such intensity it made her 'dizzy'.

She had found her mech creator, had distracted Prime as he commanded until the humans shot her down with their aircraft. She had recovered and pursued the autobot, determined not to fail Megatron. That fragging saboteur had got in the way...and that seeker had shot down a building...

She was trapped, no, she was _crushed,_ beneath the weight of a human structure, and all because her spark had taken over her processor and she had rushed to save a fragile human femme and her screaming sparkling. What the _frag_ was wrong with her?

Now _Primus knows_ what condition her body was in...and she wasn't about to run any scans because she _didn't_ want to know. At the moment, she honestly _didn't care._

Despite her anger at herself for being so _weak_, for caving in to that sudden need to protect the lives of such small creatures, she couldn't help but wonder if they were alright, still cupped protectively in her hand.

She had her hands layered over them, clamped against her chest but not so much that they were squashed beneath the pressure. A random, dark amusement coursed through her as she realized they had her _complete _attention. As long as they were there, alive and breathing, she couldn't have cared less about her wounds.

They were _alive_.

All logic said that they should be dead, broken with the rest of her body, but she had protected them. They were bruised and battered, but they were _alive. _She had actually saved them. The realization wrapped her spark in relief.

They were even awake. The mother was singing softly to her child, voice broken with the quiet sobs of someone that had completely lost hope. Demona felt her tremble, felt her lean against her curled fingers for support. She rocked the sparkling in an attempt to soothe him into sleep.

_I saved them._

But as long minutes passed, and no one came to their aid, Demona's processor took a dark turn. She wondered if maybe she had only prolonged their deaths. Had she really, truly saved them? Or had she only made their inevitable offlining more painful through suffocation? _There's not enough air..._

Demona's spark dimmed with the realization.

That was _exactly _what she'd done.

In her torment, Demona instinctively reached out for Megatron, reverting back to the days when she had been so young and so unsure about everything. She waited for a harsh, reprimanding squeeze or a sharp _'I refuse to have a weak creation'. _

When no response reached her, she realized that the bond was oddly strained, almost cold. _Maybe he is too far away..._

_Or maybe, _the traitorous thought whispered through her mind, _it's rejection. You failed him. He doesn't want you._

A new pain coursed through her, one she could not dull or kill no matter _what _sensors she shut down.

Demona curled in a little tighter around the two. The mother immediately fell silent upon feeling the movement. Demona focused on their heartbeats, letting the steady beat lull her back into better memories. She thought back to when her mech creator would spontaneously pick her up when she was still tiny, only days or weeks old, and lift her to the sky to see how much she was growing, or for the sake of getting a better look at her optics. She went back to the rare times, when after so much harsh training that threatened to kill her from the strain, he would let her lean on his spark through the bond just long enough to get back home.

Then her processor took a different turn, and wide green organic optics filled her processor. They were full of unfathomable awe, and unconditional, innocent love. Hope. Joy. Trust. Things she had never seen until she had met him and his family. The way how he had fearlessly latched on to her like a bad case of rust, shooting off a round of questions so fast it had her thoughts stuttering. His femme creator, and the words she had shouted at her in the middle of battle, _determined _to make her understand. The woman's belief in her, despite the vast difference between their species and the span of time they had known one another.

A soft whisper from her hands drug her back to the present, "Do...do you have a name?"

"Demona," she answered, cold shock gripping her as she realized how weak and broken she sounded. She felt the human jump, and tightened her hold on them marginally, "I will not hurt you, human, or your young."

A small hand pressed against the pad of one finger, the touch reminding her of Gears, "you saved us...but...I thought..."

"...I saved you because so many have been killed in this war, so many families...I was not willing to see another perish."

The woman fell quiet, shifting her baby, then tried, "d-do you think you can dig us out?"

Demona's optics lit, though they were very dim. She finally made the dreaded scan and, as she had expected, the results were just..._disturbing. _

She shouldn't be online.

"We'll run out of air, soon," the woman told her, "and...I can't hear anyone outside...no one's coming for us."

Venting sharply, Demona lifted the outside hand from the 'shell' she had made around them. The motion was slow, and her entire arm shook. She pressed her fingers against the rocks and stone, "I will try."

Demona took hold of the biggest chunk she could find and pulled until it came free with a groan. A wave of smaller stones and brick rolled down but she easily pushed through it.

She held the family of two against her chest, over her spark, and began to work at a lethargic pace. She blocked out the warnings and stat reports as her energon began to drain and her strength waned. Her frame whined in protest, shuddering with every movement.

The baby awoke with a start from the sudden movement and began to cry. The women whispered, "it's OK, sweetie." She moved away from Demona's fingers when some dust filtered through and settled against the mangled armor on her chest, "she's going to save us."

Demona kept digging, pushing loose debris behind her. She angled her way up, slowly pulling her legs free and working them the best she could to help. As time passed and the oxygen around them began to deplete, her audio receptors picked up voices. Low, metallic baritones that were muffled by the layers of debris. They were close now, and her fading spark seemed to ease just a little.

She grabbed at a thick cable and yanked it back. It came sliding down, along with the smashed elevator attached, and an opening appeared above them where it had been.

Her spark soared when pure, beautiful, warm sunlight filtered through. The woman gasped and began to cry quietly in utter relief, seeing it through the gaps in Demona's fingers.

Demona stretched an arm out and clenched her fingers around something solid. Using her legs to push and her freed arm to pull, she put as much force as she could spare into it and emerged partially from what should have been her grave.

She had never been so happy to see earth's blue skies, even if it's brilliant color was dulled by the haze that still lingered. She spared her charges a look before the sound of collective gasps caught her attention. Tiredly, she turned her dim optics towards the autobots. They were assembled in a half-circle around some military men and a couple of humans that looked to be Alec's age. Upon pulling herself up into the open, they had turned and stared with wide open optics, organic and cybertronian alike.

Seeing her red optics and the decepticon symbol stamped proudly on the crown of her helm, the soldiers tensed and raised their weapons while the two younglings stepped back towards a second, smaller yellow mech.

"_Impossible!_" Someone exclaimed, tone full of shock. Another added, "I _watched _her collapse under the building!"

Demona pushed again, dropping her gaze down to her trembling limbs as she managed to pull herself out further. Now she was free from the chest up. She nearly collapsed as the strain threatened to offline her, but she felt the movement of the relieved mother and stayed upright. The sound of a familiar voice crying her name from below brought her more strength, and she lowered her eyes to Gears who stood at the foot of the pile, wide green optics fixed on in her with..._concern?_

"Demona!" She called, "Dem...Dammit! You're in _pieces_!"

"I..." Demona tried her fragging hardest to glare at the woman and not sound so _weak_, "...told you to find...shelter..."

Her strained voice seemed to knock the autobots back to attention. They rushed towards her, almost all at once. The first one up the mound and in front of her was the medic, reaching for her with his hands to pull her out. Demona took his arm by the wrist and turned his open hand up, surprising him into silence before he could understand what she was doing. Demona slowly pulled her closed hand away from her chest, drawing his gaze with the movement, and gently placed the two in his palm.

It was almost comical how wide those bright blue optics of his got when he saw what she was giving him. Demona continued to tremble, using both hands to carefully wrap his fingers around the woman and her child so they wouldn't tumble off.

The woman tensed, staring back at her with wide, panicked eyes, "D-Demona...don't..."

Demona softened her flickering optics and promised gently, "he...won't hurt you...he's going to help..."

She kept her hands wrapped around his and raised her eyes to him, "she is wounded...I cannot tell if the sparkling is...tend to her..." Her hands dropped away, landing on the mountain of debris still trapping her. She lowered her head when exhaustion crashed through her systems.

Prime was there next, appearing out of nowhere. He stepped around his medic, who was still shocked into silence, and placed his hands beneath her arms. The saboteur appeared on her left, getting to work with tossing heavy stones and pieces away to help. The black mech was a little more cautious but he joined in nonetheless, clearing it away much quicker than the other.

Then, like she was no more than a sparkling, Prime lifted her. A soft breeze soothed her torn armor, sending a sweet chill through her that lifted some of the strain. He raised her into the air, easily supporting her smaller body as he cast a quick glance down her body.

Her ruined legs dangled uselessly, armor mashed against her protoform and several of her toes were missing. The joint of one knee was slagged, she knew. The protective plates around her abdomen and chest had been either torn away in her efforts to get out or were molded against her body in a way that bit into her innards. Energon rolled down her form in rivers, faintly glowing and still hot from coursing through her.

She already _knew _everything that was wrong with her, she already _knew_ that she should be offlined. All of that powerful armor her mech creator had search for had done nothing to save her beneath the immense weight she had supported.

Prime finished his visual scan, and when his optics fixed on her face and refused to leave, she saw the pain and concern shining in them so strongly. Realizing what she was seeing, her spark split in two.

One half tried to remember when _anyone _had ever shown so much concern for her. She tried her hardest to pull up a memory of her mech creator, but he had never lifted her from a pile of rubble. He had never held her up because she _couldn't _hold herself up, only forced herself to dig deep and find the strength to rise for another round of training. When he had injured her in their sparring, he had left her alone without a ghost of regret or worry to tend to her wounds alone. He had never pulled her from anything, he had always walked away and left her in that cold, dark prison on Cybertron.

Yes, he had tolerated letting her pull the absolute minimal strength from him when she was on the verge of dying, but only because it was _necessary. _

The other half snarled at Prime, and wanted to rip him apart for so much as _touching _her. He was a fragging autobot, and _they _were pit-spawned foes. Her creator had beat it into her that they were _nothing _but enemies that would slaughter her if they ever came close. This half was loyal _only_ to Megatron, and yearned for _him_, not Prime.

_He left you to die, _the other half whispered, _he didn't even take the slagging time to respond to you, he didn't save you. You had to save yourself, like you have always had to. You are NOTHING to him. _

Demona flinched, causing Prime to freeze. Below, Gears snapped angrily, "_Be careful with her_!"

Prime watched her expression carefully, optics narrowing as she let the horrible conflict inside her show in her stare.

_But I failed him...he had the right to leave me..._

He shifted her, draping her over his arms like she was the most delicate thing he had ever seen. Despite the rip in her spark, she was grateful that he didn't try to stand her back up. She would've fallen instantly if he had.

Her sight darkened and she let her body go limp, leaning into the support of his arms. Demona didn't have the strength to fight as, one by one, things started to shut down.

Prime's voice suddenly boomed, filling the air around her, "Ratchet! She's near offlining!"

"Lay her down," the medic ordered, stretching out the hand that held the humans towards the silver mech, "Jazz, take the female and her sparkling, and be _careful_. She's broken her leg, but she'll live."

The autobot leader quickly stepped off the debris and lowered her body to a clear area. As soon as she touched the ground she faded, falling into sweet, painless oblivion. Above her, the medic cursed vividly and set to work.

* * *

><p><strong>And there we go again with the horrid conflict and fatal injuries... gotta give her credit though, she managed to haul her aft out of there and <em>not <em>damage the humans while she did it. her head may be going in circles but that fighting spirit Megatron spared her for is really beginning to come in handy...(damn him...I wanna go B-slap him now...)**

**Awww... Uncle Optimus pulled Demona out of the rubble! :') **

**So she's had her first dose of the good the Autobots are legendary for...looks like it's going to leave a huge impression on her. :)**

**And for some reason, I _really _like this chapter. I have NO idea why... ;)**

**(cackles madly) Update on the artwork of Demona! I actually finished designing her armor and she's actually looks like a decepticon! AND I managed to incorporate the Dodge Charger look into it, so I'm like really psyched about it. All I have to do is design her head/face, ink the drawing, slap it on the computer, color it, and upload it! Should be up soon! (and she's in her _'I'm-gonna-rip-you-a-new-one'_ stance with claw-blades bared! YES!) (walks off, still cackling like crazy)**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. :) Much Love to my readers. You guys inspire me. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Somewhere deep inside that place of infinite darkness, Demona stood searching for light.

She was whole, armor void of any of the scars she'd acquired over the long, lonely years of her life. But she felt so..._strange_. Empty, as if her spark were gone. As if there was no hope.

Her red optics did not light, even though they were online. She waited, gaze raised to the sky, for a beautiful sun to rise. She waited to see the world bathed in colors, waited for it guide her back to where she needed to be.

But not even a star dotted the inky blackness that surrounded her.

Her toes sunk into the wet earth, and a strange, familiar scent filled the air. But she just couldn't remember what it was..._What is this place? Why am I here?_

Demona struggled to put together a logical answer. Had Megatron sent her? Was she running an errand for him? _Why is it so dark?_

Her insides went cold as a horrified scream tore through the air, nearly tearing her in half with it's intensity. It lasted for long minutes before abruptly cutting off. Something about the voice pulled at Demona, something about it was _familiar_...

So she took a step towards it, but her claws landed on something metal, something that gave in beneath her weight with a sharp whine. Demona stepped back quickly, squinting in vain to try to decipher what it was. It was then that she remembered what had such a familiar smell. _Energon. _

An unexplainable fear coursed through her as she realized that, for the scent to be _this _strong, there must be a lot of it nearby.

A sudden blinding flash lit the sky as a streak of lightning arced down and struck the ground, shaking it. It cast the light she had yearned for, lighting the world around her.

Her optics widened.

Cybertron as she knew it surrounded her, with it's old black metal towers and crumbling cities. Her eyes dropped from the distant buildings to the ground as the fright continued to grow. She hoped to Primus that she wasn't about to see what she thought she would.

Cybertronian carcasses littered the ground, the energon that had once flowed through their bodies had drained into the dirt, wetting the soot and ash. Her eyes traveled slowly down to what she had stepped on.

It was the empty shell of a sparkling, tiny plates of armor crushed and it's optics dark with death. It's spark was extinguished, an empty space in it's chest. Demona tore her eyes away and scanned the area around her, finding more and more. But it wasn't just sparklings.

There were femmes, too. Some where curled around their young protectively, others lay with weapons still formed out of their armor. Some were mangled to the point of being unrecognizable, others had been killed with one accurate shot to the spark.

_No._

Her body tensed as she continued to wildly search, looking for some sign of life,_ any_. Thunder roared and another strip of lightning danced down. Her gaze fell upon a form a long ways away, a body that was standing upright.

Relief filled her when she recognized the thick gray armor, the jagged long claws and thick frame. She was about to take a step towards him when he swept an arm down and lifted a screaming sparkling from the chest of another felled femme.

Demona watched, horrified, as he crushed the little one in his claws. He dropped the body to the ground when the spark flickered out, and threw back his head to let loose a round of dark laughter.

Again, thunder rolled above them.

Pain crashed through her, but a sudden, fresh rage rapidly built up deep inside her, quickly overwhelming the hurt. With a musical cling of metals, her claw blades slid out from under her armor, and she screamed, tilting her head back. Her enraged cry penetrated the shadows, and the darkness cracked and tore away to reveal blinding white light.

Wind rushed around her as she came crashing back from that hell. She came back to her body, laying on her back on some cold metal berth.

Demona's anger came with her, though, as the memory of her mech creator gladly killing hundreds of innocents burned bright in her processor. Her entire body tensed, and with a dark snarl she onlined her optics, sitting up as her blades shot out and clenched around her fisted hands.

Something brushed against her side and she fixed her murderous stare on it, raising her blades to attack. Organic green optics fixed on her, holding her gaze until Demona could see through the thick haze of hate.

Gears' small hands were pressed against a jagged, torn chunk of armor that had somehow managed to stay attached to her body. Her thumb stroked over it softly, her eyes full of concern. Demona stared down at her as the human said softly, "Demona, it's OK...it was just a dream."

Demona forced herself to look away, instead focusing on the autobot medic who had one of his saws spinning dangerously over his arm. His blue optics were narrowed, ready to disable her if needed.

She lowered her gaze down to her hands, to the weapons Megatron had forged for her. She shuttered her optics tightly, clenching them. She had to get her processor on something else or she would go mad, reliving that fragging dream from the pit. She whispered, not really processng what was leaving her vocals, "if I am not a tool to be used, and if I am not his 'child', then what am I?"

She felt that fragging woman climb up over one of her damaged legs and lift a hand to touch one of her claw blades. Gears gently wiped at a scratch on it, watching Demona's face, "anything you want to be."

The blades retracted slowly so they didn't catch the human's delicate fingers. The autobot relaxed in the background.

"...why..." Demona mentally cursed herself for the way her voice broke, opening her optics and staring at Gears in pain and confusion, "...why do you have such faith in me?...I...I don't understand..."

Gears leaned against one of her hands, now resting against her legs. Her green eyes softened, "you're not evil, Demona. You're not a weapon. You sacrificed yourself to keep that family safe, and then you went further and dug your way out so they could survive and get help. You're a protector, not a killer."

The declaration stunned Demona into silence as she tried to process what the woman had just said to her.

Gears smiled and changed subjects, "I called home today. I told Alex that you were hurt and he wanted his brother to drop everything and drive him over here...He wanted me to tell you to get better soon so you could come back. He also wanted me to tell you sweet dreams before you go to sleep tonight."

Demona's gaze gentled. Gears' words wrapped around her spark like a thick blanket, even as sudden exhaustion filled her. Her body sagged slightly. The medic took it as his cue, striding over and supporting her as he slowly laid her back, "You need to rest, youngling. Your body is too weak for conversation."

Demona dimmed her optics as recharge started to pull her in. She remained aware of Gears, who remained where she was on her leg.

_Was it **just** a dream?_ the thought whispered through her head before she slipped back into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Huh.<strong>

**Don't know what to say about this one, except I don't really care for it...not sure where it came from... **

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Gears checked the clock on her phone. She bit down a sigh when she realized only ten minutes had passed since the last time she had checked. She muttered, "Hoover Dam, you're so dense even father time can't reach you..."

Out of a quickly developing habit, she glanced over at Demona's still form. The damn robot hadn't woken up since her nightmare days ago. Gears had made comments on it before, but the autobot medic, Ratchet, would wave her off with "her body can't handle the strain of being fully conscious."

So Gears posted herself, much to his annoyance, at Demona's side. She was determined to be there when she woke up or onlined or whatever their term was for it. Until she _knew_ she was going to be okay, Gears was_ staying right here._

It had been hard to tell the military that, who had herded all five of the autobots, the soldiers that had participated in the battle of Mission City, herself-because of her obvious connection to Demona- and two kids into Hoover Dam after kicking out some crack job group under the name of 'Sector Seven'.

She had argued with the men, shoulders back and head raised to match their disciplined posture. For _hours, _they had yelled back and forth. _They_ wanted her to go back home after getting her to sign some 'don't tell' form. Unfortunately for them, _she_ had a brokenhearted little boy to face if she went home without making absolute sure Demona was up and running around.

She had said so, effectively shutting them up with shock when she clued them in on the budding friendship between her baby and her new giant robot. She told them straight up that he would've been crushed if she didn't do this, he had even told her over the phone, "I miss you momma, but she needs you more now".

Naturally, when she said this she drew a not-so-subtle crowd of male twenty-something-foot-tall robots. It was the head honcho of the five that knelt beside her and asked, kindly, if she would tell him more about Demona. Apparently, femmes were _rare_, young ones even more so. And from what she gathered, the robot girls that _were_ around weren't too hot with the decepticons.

Gears had come out of hiding the moment Demona had dug her way out of the mess of a broken building, so she had seen Prime go to her and lift her from her would-be grave. And facing him, a thirty-two foot tall god-like creature, she told him straight up before she said _anything_ on the matter, "Thank you for pulling her out of that mess, but if you ever do anything to hurt her I'll weld your skinny titanium butt-cheeks together."

Looking back on it now, Gears realized it wasn't the best move she'd ever made...

But he had only looked shocked, seeming to process her words while one or two of his robot soldiers snickered or coughed behind him. Then his eyes had gentled, and Gears knew that there was nothing to fear about him.

He had promised in his amazing baritone voice that Demona was safe with them, that he would _not _ever willingly harm a 'femme', no matter the age. So she caved to his request. She told him about how Demona had never done anything harmful or threatening to her or her family. Gears told him how Demona had held her sweet baby like she was carrying the most precious thing in the world in her hands. Gears told him about how she had _let_ little Alex cling to her like some cute little disease, and then how she had only shown him kindness, even after she noticed his deformities. She even told him about the battle in Mission City, when Demona had ordered her to find cover then used her body to shield her's as that damn jet-robot shot at them.

The silver one, Jazz, was there to confirm that one, putting in his own bit about Demona. He believed what Gears did, that there was something good in Demona, even if it was buried beneath layers of hate and pain.

Gears was drug back from her thoughts when her phone went off. She pulled it out again to see a text message from Aurora, who had grabbed the first flight home in the nearest city when she was released.

_'standing guard over the robot again?'_

Gears snorted, and texted back, _'her names Demona. Show some respect, Spots. She saved my life.'_

The answering text had her blinking. She raised her eyes back to Demona, then dropped them down to her phone to reread the words; _'what are you, adopting her? Why are you so protective of her?'_

_Adopting? _had she really been _that_ crazy over her?

Her mind trailed back to the argument with the soldiers, and when she threatened the autobot leader's butt cheeks. Gears smacked her forehead, "No, Gears. Geez..."

"That...is an odd name for a human," the medic robot said as he stepped through the big, open doorway. Gears answered him, watching as he ran a quick scan over Demona's body, "it's a nickname. People started calling me Gears when I was little. My sister and my kids have nicknames, too. My real name is Ariel, like the mermaid."

_Does he even know what a mermaid is?_

Ratchet transformed a hand into a set of creepy looking tools and bent over Demona to start up on repairs for the day. After a while of watching him check wounds he had already sealed before he started on something new, she asked, her voice lowered, "How is she?"

He 'vented' loudly, "Alive. I still don't understand how she _survived._"

"She's a tough one," Gears noted, making her way over but carefully skirting him so she was out of his way, "it takes a lot to bring her down."

She moved to Demona's head, resting a hand on one of those sleek metal horns. Gears stared down at her face, amazed at all of the little details that knit together to make the entire image. Demona's eyes, though dark, were absolutely _fascinating._ Being somewhat of an 'inventor' who liked to build little creations out of metals, Gears could appreciate the master craftsmanship. The thought made her brain throw the short conversation they had had after Demona's nightmare to the front.

"Ratchet," she said slowly, "what creature would create a life for the sole purpose of being a weapon? Who would do that to their baby?"

He paused to cast her a look, "you'd be surprised."

Gears let her voice soften, her green eyes tracing all the planes and plates and the _tiny_ pieces that made up Demona's face, "she looks so young..."

"She is," he confirmed, "too young to take part in this war."

He started up again. Gears let him work in silence, until another question formed in her head, and it nagged at her like crazy. She watched him, waiting for him to pause so she didn't distract him, "do you know who her parent-I mean, Creators-are?"

_That one_ threw him.

The medic stilled, absentmindedly fingering the piece of Demona's damaged armor he had removed from her body. He seemed to lose himself deep in thought, leaning slightly over her with his eyes squinting at Demona's face. He had the, 'it's familiar, just can't put my finger on it' look slapped on.

And then _another_ one hit her, and before she could stop it, she narrowed her eyes, "and who the hell is Megatron? She mentioned him more than once-" Gears cut herself off when Ratchet's eyes widened in shock, frozen on Demona's face. His voice sounded strained as he breathed, "Primus, no..."

* * *

><p><strong>Primus, <em>yes.<em> XD (cue mad cackling)**

**Ok, this was awesome. I figured we needed a break from Demona(Although I do adore her :/), and Gears just can't be shaken. This was a lot of fun to write...She's become something like a guardian to Demona, defending her. Good ol Gears. **

**And can you tell she's having trouble grasping all the cybertronian terms? :)**

**Anyway, I hope you guys got a smile or two out of this...love you guys. :) I'll see ya tomorrow.**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. **

**And wow! three chapters in one day! :D**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"What?" Gears asked, thoroughly confused, "Ratchet, _whats wrong?" And what the hell is a 'Primus'?_

She watched as the tools on one arm vanished, slipping inside his wrist. Bands of yellow armor shifted and his hand reappeared, dropping down to the edge of the steel table. He gripped it tightly, putting enough pressure into his hand to actually make the metal cave and form to his fingers. He leaned his weight on that one arm as if he didn't trust his legs to hold him up, and the other hand came up in a surprising 'fleshling'-like manner to cover his face.

He looked as though the weight of the world had just been dumped on his broad metal shoulders.

Gears raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for an answer.

She actually began to worry when his optics _dimmed_, like Demona's had before she'd passed out after emerging from the debris of the felled building. Gears hesitantly reached out to touch his hand, but pulled back when he snapped, "of all the...Primus, how is this..._impossible!"_

Gears mentally scrolled through their little conversation, picking out pieces and putting them together like a puzzle. She continued to gaze up at him, and squinted as she started, "...is Megatron her...?"

Naturally, it flew right over his head. "How did we miss it?" he ranted, completely ignoring her. He lowered his hand and slammed his fist down beside Demona's arm. His anger seemed to fade a little as his gaze fell upon the missing plates and torn wiring there. But his voice was still tight, "she even _moves _like that pit-spawned glitch...Optimus!"

Gears jumped when he shouted the name of his leader. The said bot came rushing in, blue optics narrowed in suspicion as he automatically scanned the room for any threats. When he found none, his gaze became mildly curious, "What is it, Ratchet? Why did you call for me?"

Ratchet huffed and motioned for his leader to come closer. Confusion filled the larger bot's eyes, but he came to stand beside him anyway. Gears placed herself back beside Demona's head, going back to studying the intricate details of her face. Prime's shadow fell over them. She caught Ratchet straighten and put his hands on his 'hips'.

When, again, the larger asked him what was wrong after visually checking to make sure Demona was still alive. _weak,_ but alive. Ratchet raised a hand and gestured towards Demona.

Gears lifted her eyes and watched the odd pair, listening intently.

"The All Spark has been missing longer than she has been alive," Ratchet began, "so she is not it's child. She has creators. So w_ho_ _created_ _her_?"

_Now _he had Prime's attention. That same look of deep thought filled his gaze that had filled Ratchet's when Gears had confronted him with the same question. The towering robot leaned over her, mimicking his medic, and quietly studied Demona's face. Gears followed his eyes and folded her arms over her horn to lean against it. She put her chin on her arms, _if Megatron is her father...and the way they're reacting...can't be good...damn, Dem._

Ratchet tried again, although his voice was much softer now, almost concerned. When she looked, Gears realized that his gaze was worried and locked on his leader, "think, Prime. Who does she resemble?"

After a long stretch of time, Optimus' body stilled. He seemed to go rigid, gaze staring at Demona's smaller form with a look of complete disbelief on his expression. And it wasn't the good kind, either. It seemed as though whatever conclusion he had come to in that big head of his, it _wasn't_ good.

Ratchet turned his back on Demona and leaned against the table. Again, he raised a hand to his face, "the poor femme..."

"_No..._" Optimus said quietly, "it can't be..."

Ratchet turned his head to gaze at him, and opened his mouth to say something when the one they were in conflict over abruptly tensed.

Gears yelped when her fingers almost became caught in the suddenly shifting gears in Demona's cheeks she had been examining. She was suddenly yanked into the air and deposited on the other metal table in the room. Gears watched, eyes wide, as Optimus automatically clamped his powerful hands over Demona as her entire body convulsed. Ratchet cursed angrily, turning away from Gears. He was back at the decepticon's side before she could blink.

"Ratchet-!" Optimus started, cutting himself off when the claw blades on one arm slipped free and nearly severed his hand. His blue eyes were a mix of panic and fear, and he shifted the hand he'd nearly lost to pull down her arm with the extended blades so she wouldn't get either of them.

"Whats wrong with her?" Gears called, getting to her feet and leaning towards them to try to see better. _Is it another nightmare?_

Ratchet's cursing went up a couple of notches when her unrestrained hand flew up to clench over her chest. The toes she had left spread and curled as her legs stretched out then pulled up. Her head dropped back and slammed against the berth, one of her horns actually puncturing the steel to leave a wide hole.

Ratchet tried to peel her hand away from her chest so he could see what was causing her pain when a heart-wrenching whine filled the air that had both of the autobots freezing, eyes wide.

It was a mechanical sound, Gears knew, but it tore through her with how agonized it sounded. _NOT a nightmare... _She held her breath, watching as Demona's body stilled for a moment, still rigid with her legs bent oddly at the knees and toe-claws putting more holes in the berth. The hand over her chest had clenched and had actually pulled free another piece of crushed armor Ratchet hadn't gotten around to yet.

"What the SLAG is going on-?"

the big black autobot shouted, stomping in. His eyes widened when another cry left Demona's body, softer but nearly twice as worse as the first.

"DO something!" Gears snarled. Panic gripped her pounding heart.

"Ironhide, restrain her legs!" Ratchet ordered without looking at him. The big guy rushed in without complaint and did just that, easing her legs down with a gentleness that surprised Gears. He placed a huge hand over each shin, raking his eyes down her trembling form, "what the slag happened?"

Ratchet vented again, and tried once more to remove her hand. But it was Demona that provided the answer, her voice a weak, strained whisper, "...I am too weak for him...he is...punishing me for my failures..."

"Who, young one?" Prime asked softly, staring down at her dim red eyes. Gears felt the breath leave her body, rage filling her as Demona's words slammed into her. She didn't know _how _whoever-it-was was hurting her, but she wanted to kill the bastard. Demona was _still_ not out of danger, her health could _still_ take a wrong turn and they could _still_ lose her. She knew it for a fact, even if Ratchet hadn't said anything directly to her. They _all_ knew it.

"...he won't...let me rest..." Demona continued, her eyes closing, "...I can't escape him..."

"Who?" it was the one called Ironhide that growled the words, "Who the frag is it? I'll _crush_ him."

Gears had enough sense to send him a weird look. Out of the group, he and the smaller yellow one, who took it upon himself to guard the two kids still floating around, had avoided Demona and herself like the plague. She remembered then what they had told her, that females and youths were extremely rare to their kind, and to have one that was _both_ was even rarer. _Only been here a week and she's already captured the boys' hearts...that's my girl._

"...no..." Demona told him. Slowly, the tension in her body left her, and her powerful legs slackened beneath his hold. The extended claw blades quietly slid back into their sheath on her arm. The same hand fell open loosely, "...I failed him..."

Gears managed to stumble her way down the makeshift stairs made up wood they'd hurriedly assembled for the berths so people, for whatever reason, could make their way up without having to be picked up. She dropped down to the floor and ran over, rushing up the stairs to Demona's. She ignored the warning glare the medic sent towards her.

Gears ran down the berth, carefully climbing her way over Demona's bent arm until she was standing beside her face again. She reached out and pressed her hands against that same horn on Demona's head, distantly noting how the steel she'd just broken through hadn't even left a _scratch_ on her armor.

Gears looked down into her eyes, "Demona, _who_ is _hurting_ you?"

When she didn't answer, Gears changed tactics, "and how did you fail? Dem, you saved lives. That's _not_ failure."

"I was created to _take_ lives...it doesn't sit well with him," Demona informed tiredly. One of Gears' hands fisted, "_look at me_."

Those beautiful red eyes brightened marginally, focusing on her from the dazed look she had been wearing. Gears stared back at her, "Do you know what those bastards told me when my baby was born? When Alex came out with his underdeveloped body? They looked me in the eye, and said, 'if he lives, he'll be a miserable child. But don't get your hopes up. He'll most likely die'. They condemned him before he was even an hour old, they told me what he would supposedly be like."

Gears was aware that the other three had fallen silent and were watching intently like it was the Superbowl. She ignored them, continuing, "But I looked at him for the first time, and I _knew _he would make it. I didn't see what was _wrong, _and I _loved _him for everything he was. And you know what? Shows what a shit-load they know, because he's seven years old and he loves life. Hell, he fell in love with _you_ the second he saw you."

She sighed, "I know it's not the same, but just because someone tells you the day you're born that you're supposed to be this way...or, in your case, if they create you for the purpose of being something, it doesn't seal your fate. You can't look at a river and command it to flow backwards and expect it to do just that. You're a living creature, Demona, you are _not a weapon_ or a _tool _to be used. I don't give a damn who this guy is or who your dad is, but they don't control your life. You do. You make the choices, and I know you have what it takes to be something great. Maybe you _can _end this war, but not the way they have planned."

Something weird filled Demona's weak eyes, something Gears had never seen her show. Gears tapped her on what looked like a nose, "you are such a_ beautiful_ creation, Demona. I'm beginning to understand what my baby sees in you."

_Is she going to...cry?_ Gears thought quietly, watching the emotions that flashed through the decepticon's eyes. The woman smiled softly when Demona's body seemed to completely relax, sinking down tiredly. Her eyes dimmed further. Gears kissed her fingers and pressed them lightly against Demona's horn, like she often did to Alec-since he was a bit old for the smooches she attacked Alex with-before he went to bed. "Sweet dreams, Dem, I'll be here when you wake up."

As Demona settled back into sleep, Gears raised her eyes to the others, seeing expressions of shock, gentleness, warmth, amazement, and disbelief. She raised her eyebrows at them, "What?"

Then something hit her.

_Oh Lord, I just pulled the finger-kiss-sweet-dreams-sweetie on a giant robot..._their faces contorted with confusion and amusement when she smacked her forehead with a light groan.

..._I've adopted a twenty-foot tall alien robot._

* * *

><p><strong>:3 Gah Gears, you're amazing. I love the crap out of you. <strong>

**:( Demona, hurry up and kick your dad in the head...He's a mean stupid weenie.**

**Well, the cat's out of the bag, the beans have been spilled! We'll see how Optimus treats her now that he knows of their relation! (and how he really reacts, since he didn't get a chance to in this one, curse you Megadouche! *shakes fist angrily*)**

**To My Readers: Fanfiction has really screwed with my Reviews. It says that I have 43, but I can only actually look at and reply to the first 27, so if I don't respond, it's not because I don't care! Believe me, that is NOT the case! I love my reviewers, I just can't reply because this website screwed everything up... So, SO sorry!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Gears was resting.

She was curled up in a miraculously very comfortable, very warm spot on the left side of Demona's chest that was out of Ratchet's way.

Demona was deep in recharge, as Ratchet had finally told her, completely at ease. Since the 'attack' through her 'creator bond', she had been waking for short spouts of time every once and a while, but never long enough to speak. Her eyes would light for a few minutes, dazed, and then darken as she slipped back into darkness.

Once Demona had woken during one of the rare times Ratchet-and now Optimus, Gears reminded herself-were not present and had seen her curled up in a shivering ball on the floor, green eyes glaring out the door because some jack ass had taken off with her blanket.

Without a word, the decepticon had gently scooped her up and placed her in this safe little spot. Before Gears could yelp or ask her what she was doing, Demona faded again, the hand she had cupped around her protectively sliding off.

Gears was still warm though, and she didn't dare move. This spot was about as good as a soft mattress, even if she was surrounded by metal. The random act of kindness had her heart all warm and there was a big smile on her face. _She's coming around..._

She was in that blissful place between consciousness and sleep, just drifting there and thinking about her sweet boys, whom had called her earlier that evening to check on her and Demona. Her youngest was a ball of gooey happiness when she told him that Demona was now waking up regularly. She left out the part about her never being awake for more than a few minutes at a time.

Gears noticed that Pockets was starting to warm up to Demona, as he had hinted to her health a few times to encourage her to share her recovery. Must have been from being stuck with his little brother all the time.

She was picturing them in front of her so she could hug and kiss the crap out of them. She missed her boys terribly, and more than once she had contemplating seeing if she could get them for a while to bring them here, but she just couldn't figure out how to ask without jumping into a huge argument with the military again.

A familiar, amazing baritone voice echoed above her, dragging her reluctantly from that place of peace, "do you really believe she's..."

There was the equally familiar huff of a certain yellow medic, "_Look _at her, Optimus. It's a slagging mystery how we didn't see it before...and from the looks of it, he's got a hold on her through the creator bond."

"How...why haven't we ever heard about her?" Gears tensed, recovering from her sleepiness quicker in reaction to the painful exhaustion in the tone. The sound of Ratchet's tools working away on Demona's body paused. Gears snatched her chance, opening her eyes to gaze up at them tiredly. She addressed Prime, "Megatron...I know he leads the decepticons and he's evil, but who is he to _you_? Why does it hurt you?"

Optimus looked worn, as if he had returned from a long, harsh battle. She could understand. Ever since they'd figured out who Demona's father was, he had insisted on being there, like Gears had in the beginning. She often caught him staring down at the younger one, a look of great pain tempered with a light ghost of love. She _knew _that Demona met something to him now. They were related in some way.

Those amazing blue eyes fixed on Gears for a few minutes before shifting back to Demona's still face. "He is my brother."

_Wow. _Gears blinked up at him. _Was NOT expecting that one..._

She felt her eyes soften. Even if his brother was an evil bastard, he had found a piece of his family that _wasn't_ corrupted. And she was young, she needed someone close to her for support, and right now, it looked as though he needed her, too. _They're family...why is he..._

Gears lowered her voice, "then why are you so sad? You found her, Optimus. She's family."

He closed his eyes, hands on the berth. He leaned his weight on them tiredly, "the life she must have had with _him_ as a creator...It's a wonder she's even alive."

Gears took a moment to try to think out her next words carefully, curling in on herself a little more when she heard that soft hum Demona's body gave off change tone.

"If he's your brother," she tried, "then that means she's your niece."

Gears paused again as the quiet sound changed back to the way it had been, "she has you now. Besides..."

Gears looked at Demona.  
>Prime looked at Gears.<p>

Gears said, feeling his gaze on her, "it looks like she's got more of her uncle in her than her dad. She may not admit it, but I know she values life...I know she loves this planet. Wherever Megatron kept her, the skies must have been dark, because I've never seen anyone look at the sun the way she did for the first time...She's a good kid, Optimus. She just doesn't know it yet."

She trailed off, laying her head back down on one of Demona's plates of armor. His eyes remained on her. Gears was slowly slipping back to that amazing place where her kids were when she felt an extremely light touch on her back. Her eyes opened, raising to Optimus as he lifted his hand. She smiled when he said softly, "Thank you, Ariel."

* * *

><p><strong>:')<strong>

**I sat down to write this chapter...and waited for it to come to me...but I didn't know what to do. I really tried to get inside of Prime's head to see what his reaction would be while I brainstormed...It just seems to me that he'd, since she was young and vulnerable, assert himself as a kind of guardian until she was better...and since he's got such a gentle side to him, I figured he'd worry like hell about our Demona esepcially now that he knows WHO raised her...If it doesn't seem right, I'm sorry... :(**

**My favorite part of this chapter is when Demona picks up Gears and sets her down on her chest, and when Gears describes her kids. :D I smiled while I wrote it...**

**Also, someone asked me if I would be doing a romantic pairing between Demona and one of the guys. Since fanfiction is screwy right now, I can't answer your question personally, but here it is; I really don't know. :P I mean, I haven't really thought about it yet, and it's a very interesting idea, but I won't know for sure until Demona develops more and finds out who her _true_ family is. She's still kinda considered a 'teenager' to them, with her age and uncertainty of things...I think you said Jazz? I have no idea. D: Although I think Jazz needs a girlfriend. He really does...the little silver bugger...**

**Anyway, lots of love to my readers! I hope you're still enjoying it...**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_"Bubba got in a fight,_" Alex's precious voice said timidly from his end of the line. Gears froze, pulling the phone away from her ear to look at it like it was diseased. Before she could stop it, it was out; "_WHAT_?"

She had been walking through the halls of Hoover Dam. Demona was out cold after Ratchet had given her a particularly strong sedative so she wouldn't wake up while he was working around what he called her spark chamber. He had happily kicked Gears _and _Prime out of the room and told them to come back later.

So, Gears had figured it was the best chance she had to get to know the area better since she'd only seen the bathroom, the room where Demona was, and the cafeteria. She had successfully managed to get herself lost and had been moving about aimlessly until she got the phone call from her baby.

And he had managed to turn her happy day into a frownie day with that one statement. Alec wasn't violent. He didn't get into fights, even if he could hold his own against the senior quarter back. So, naturally, her first thought was, _what the hell?_

She knew it wasn't Alex's fault, and felt horrible after the shout had left her mouth. Gears didn't notice all the weird looks she was getting from the other people in the hallway. She couldn't have cared less about them.

Pressing her free hand to her forehead, Gears walked over to a wall and leaned against it so she was out of the way. She sighed and made her voice soft, "I'm sorry for yelling, baby, tell me what happened."

His voice strengthened a little bit after her apology, _"He walked with me down to the park. He helped me on the swing then went to go get some water for me..."_

His bravery faded, and his voice began to shake. Gears just knew she was going to lose whatever was left of her sanity over what he was going to say next. She tensed for it, but his words still sent a wave of cold shock through her, _"these big guys came up to me and started to push me around...they pushed me out of my wheel chair a-a-and said they'd br-break my legs..."_

Gears squeezed her eyes shut, _no..._

_"Bu-bubba came back and told them to go away. He tried to help me up __but one of 'em pu-pushed him down and grabbed me. The others tried to jump on bubba but he started to fight them...he got hurt because they were so big...but he scared them away and saved me...momma, bubba saved me. Please don't be mad at him! I know he's not supposed to fight, but he helped me!"_

_oh, baby..._Gears wiped a hand over her face, realizing that tears had started to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut, took a second to calm down, and said, "I'm not mad at Alec, sweet heart. He had the right to beat the snot out of those kids...if mommy had been there, she would've done the same thing." _No, if mommy had been there, mommy would have fucking __slaughtered__ them..._

_"momma, I'm scared..."_ he said quietly. Gears paused, "why, Alex?"

_"They told him that they'd kill him," _he whispered, _"Momma, where are you? Please come get us!"_

He broke down on the phone, his sobs tearing her in half. Gears legs went weak and she slowly slid down until she was sitting down. She hadn't felt so hopeless in years, not since she had pulled her dead husband from the wreckage of an old truck.

"okay, baby," she whispered, "I'm coming. I'll be there soon, okay? Just...hang in there."

His crying died to little sniffles as he took in her words. He squeaked, _"promise?"_

"Yes," she answered, "I gotta go get ready, Alex. Call me if you need anything."

_"I love you, momma. Bubba does too."_

Gears smiled weakly, "I love you more."

She waited for him to say good bye, and she flipped the phone shut and dropped it to the floor. She leaned forward, bending her legs and burying her face in her knees, lost. _What do I do? Demona is depending on me...but my babies..._ Seconds later, she felt a vast shadow fall over her. Slowly, she raised her broken green eyes to meet Prime's brilliant blue ones. He was concerned, deeply. She could see it in his gaze.

"Do..." Gears paused to take a deep breath and steady her voice, "do you think they'll let me bring my kids here?"

The words still came out cracked. He sensed more, so he waited. She told him, "I...they...my oldest son is injured, and my youngest one is scared. I promise they won't get into anything bad, and they already know about you guys, they trust Demona...please, can they stay here? Just until she's better?"

"I can't say," he answered regretfully, lowering his hand to the ground. Gears blinked at it slowly, then reached over to get her phone and carefully climbed into it. She settled in the center of his palm, pushing her long dark red hair from her face tiredly, "he's so afraid..."

"What happened?"

So Gears told him. Even though she barely knew him and he barely knew her, it eased her broken heart just a little sharing it with someone she knew would care. The time passed as he carried her to what looked like a rec room. He knelt and put his hand to the ground again, addressing some soldier, "William, she needs a moment of your time."

The man sent her a quick look, noticed the conflict and pain in her eyes, and came right over.

Optimus stepped back but didn't leave. The stranger said, "what can I do for you?"

"Can I bring my kids here?"

She watched as his gaze hardened, and she jumped first before he could outright say no, "they know about the cybertronians. They've met Demona, my youngest adores her. They're good kids, they'll stay out of the way. Just until Demona heals? We'll be out of your hair for good then."

"You shoulda thought about that when you fought to stay with that decepticon piece of shit," one of them shouted from the back. Gears' old attitude slapped back in place, and she narrowed her teary eyes, "If I hadn't have been here to support Demona, you would've found some way to get rid of her! I've seen the way how you jackasses act around her, like she's some demonic psychotic murderer!"

The one that had spoken up stepped forward with a snarl, "She's one of _them_!"

"No, _she's_ NOT," Gears snapped, pointing at him, "_She_ has saved my life and _she's_ done nothing to threaten my kids! Hell, my son thinks she's his best friend! She sacrificed her body to save a woman and her child from being crushed, and then dug their asses out! I will defend that girl like she is my own daughter, so _back the hell off_!"

"You are one _crazy_ dumbass broad, you know that?" he asked, shaking his head.

_Could this day get any worse? _But Gears was just getting started. She shot back, "just because you went through boot camp and got you some camo duds and a pair of nice shiny dog tags doesn't make you a friggin' _god _to _push_ and _shove_ everyone else around! So, kindly take those spit-shined army boots and go _shove 'em up your jar-head ass!"_

He blinked once. Twice. Three times...

And then, nearby, someone fell over laughing. Another joined in, and in the back someone whistled and clapped.

Gears was the one to look shocked this time around, making a quick visual scan of the full audience that was assembled in there. There was a larger crowd of men, and women, than she had expected in there. Even an Autobot was crammed in the back, the little silver one who was grinning like mad in her direction, visor flipped down but glowing in amusement.

Gears huffed, turning back to the man she had originally been talking to. He regarded her with an awed respect now, eyes slightly widened. A black guy walked up behind him and slapped a hand on his shoulder, "I like this girl. She's got spunk. Gears, ain't it?"

She nodded, "Name is Ariel, but everyone I know calls me Gears."

His head bobbed lightly, "Robert Epps," she shook his hand when he offered it. She turned to his friend again in time to see him offer_ his _hand, "William Lennox."

He cast a quick glance over the room as the laughter died to chuckles. The victim of Gears' great and terrible wrath turned away with a scowl, slamming his clenched fist on the wall on his way out.

"I hope to be seeing you around again," Epps said, "that was just what that old shit needed."

Lennox agreed with a nod. He hesitantly laid a hand on her shoulder, "you wanted to talk?"

"Yes," she said, desperation leaking into her voice again. He turned her, "out here then so there's no more interruptions."

She followed him out.

"Why are you just now asking to bring your family out here?" He asked as soon as they were out. Gears tiredly pushed her hand through her hair, "my oldest is injured, my youngest is scared out of his mind because someone threatened them, my sister can't _always_ watch them..."

He changed directions, "you really don't want to leave her, do you?"

She looked him in the eyes, instantly knowing who 'her' was, "I wasn't joking when I said I treat her like my daughter."

There was that hesitant look in his eyes again, "why?"

"_Talk_ to her," Gears prodded, "get to know her, and you'll see it. She's not a decepticon, she's just a kid that was forced into a life she can't control. She wants to be _something_ to _someone. _She wants it so bad it's hurting her...she just wants a family, a home. I can see it in her eyes."

He thought for a moment, then bounced back to the original subject, "if I, by some miracle, talked them into letting your kids come here, will they get in the way?"

He had the 'I'm-not-taking-any-crap' look stuck on his face, eyes locked on hers and searching. _Good, 'cause I'm not taking any crap either,_ she thought bitterly.

She answered him, "Alex can't walk. He was born with an underdeveloped body, so Alec, my oldest, or I, carry him. Sometimes he's strong enough to pull his own in a wheel chair, but most of the time he can't. He won't be going anywhere without us, and Alec is old enough to know not to get into trouble. They're _good_ kids. _Please._"

Eventually, his gaze softened, and she realized that he understand, to a level. _He's a parent, too..._

He just stared at her for a minute longer, then nodded, "I'll see what I can do, but _no_ promises."

Gears knew it was utterly pathetic, but she couldn't hold back the relief that filled her face. He gave her a small smile, "and thanks for telling him off in there. You hit the nail on the head, he's a complete asshole."

she smiled back, "don't thank me, he was talking down about my kids."

Something strange passed through his eyes, but he nodded and turned away to go back inside the rec room.

_I just called Demona my kid..._but she didn't feel weird at all about it. She gave a shaky smile as she pushed her hair out of her face. Her day was finally beginning to look _up_.

* * *

><p><strong>First of all, I apologize for the excessive use of language in this one...Gears is having a very bad day, so she tends to revert to that...<strong>

**Second, I've NEVER written Lennox or Epps into a story before, so if they're out of character, I'm sorry...I tried to stick with the personalities they had in the movies. :/**

**Third, I'm not too big on the phone call (I hate doing that crap to my characters...) but it's meaningful.**

**Fourth, I'm updating AGAIN today because I have company tomorrow and won't have time to...But see, I'm not so bad! I've but my readers' interest before mine and worked my butt off to get this one done and uploaded! Just for you guys! :D**

**On a much more cheerful note, Demona(my artwork) now has a neck and head. :3 although you can't see her face because she's got her battle mask on, and it covers most of her face since I stole the design from Bay's Megatron, but I _love_ her horns. The outline of her body is now complete, with mild shading to add dimension to all of her plates of armor *which was hell to draw, even more so to design*. Although I tried to make her look feminine, she turned out to be a solid little thing, which is fine...I mean, look at her daddy. The dudes huge. Anyway, the only things I'm having trouble with are the armor plates on her thighs...which is kicking my aft completely...But her were-wolf-clawed-feet are cute! Espectially with the claw on her raised heel curved down! :D And WOW...it took me an entire week to just do this basic outline...gonna be hell to color her...but fun. :)  
><strong>

**I'm debating on a background for her...should I leave it white so she pops, or should I stick her in some battle-ravaged area, maybe with Gears or the boys standing beneath her like she's protecting them...? I would offer to slap Optimus in there somewhere like they're kicking evil aft-cheeks side-by-side, if I hadn't nearly died just trying to get _her_ crap figured out...**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Demona onlined slowly.

Her optics flickered but stayed lit, her body tensed as everything warmed and started up. Frag, she was so _tired_. She let her stare stay unfocused, gazing up at the now-familiar ceiling of the medic's workspace.

Said medic stepped into her line of vision, leaning over her slightly, "how do you feel?"

"...tired," she managed to force out. She focused in on his expression, noticing something odd. Something was off about the mech. She didn't know what it was, but she knew it was wrong.

_Slag..._she thought darkly,_ I was raised to completely despise them and I've been around one long enough to know when somethings wrong..._

The thought wrapped her Processor back around Megatron.

She had to force back a wince when she remembered the agony he'd put her through the moment he had finally decided to respond to her through the bond. He had squeezed her spark, wrapped his claws around it and nearly crushed it. Distantly, she made the realization that he had done the same thing to the screaming sparkling in her dream.

She still remembered the_ pain_, the worst she'd ever _known_. She remembered his snarls, his claims that she was _nothing_ but a useless failure, that he should have offlined her like he had her femme creator the day she was created.

_You are NOTHING to him..._the voice whispered in her head, _you KNOW this...you are nothing but a TOOL._

Demona flexed the fingers of a newly restored hand, feeling the same strength in them she had before she had given herself to save the human female and sparkling...which had her processor tumbling down a different path.

When had she _ever_ cared so much about some underling's life? Especially one so fragging _small and fragile_. What was it about the human race that pulled this slag out of her?

_It's not the species...it's her...and her family..._Demona shuttered her optics for a second, opening them when she felt someone touch her arm. She focused her gaze on Prime. She'd noticed before that he had been hanging around in the air like a stink, but she'd never put much thought into it, and she didn't now. Her processor was spinning madly, trying to figure out things while her spark pulsed with unbridled emotions. She was barely aware of her surroundings. She let her optics dim as she sunk into the mess.

_Megatron created me to kill. To destroy the autobots and bring an end to this war. For...peace. _Demona paused as it was countered with a question, _what is peace? Is it completely, sparklessly, annihilating the enemy? Is it watching, no, taking part in, an entire faction dying? So many lives..._

_Was peace forging a new life with the intentions of molding it into a weapon?_

Demona clenched her new hand.

_Was peace slaying hundreds of sparklings and their creators? I am one of the last femmes. HE killed my femme creator. Why didn't he kill me?_

"Speak louder, young one," a voice said above. Demona cursed vividly in her head, onlining her optics to see both mechs staring down at her curiously. Had she been so lost in her thoughts that she had actually spoken the question out loud?

She blinked up at them, and turned her gaze to taller, "what do you fight for, Prime?"

Her sudden question had both of them blinking in confusion. She tried again, "why have you held on for so long in a war so old? What drives you and your soldiers?"

His optics gentled, "Peace, Demona. We fight for peace."

_Don't we all?_

"There is no such thing as peace," Demona concluded quietly, "and if it doesn't exist, why do I?"

"I...don't understand," he said. Demona shuttered her optics again, "Why do I exist?"

"_...You're a protector, not a killer."_

_Fragging woman, what the slag do you mean? You're not making any sense...what the frag does a protector do? If I don't kill or destroy...if I can't make peace...what...do I do?_

There was a soft touch on her forehead, drawing her back out. Prime's hand was pressed to her armor, gentle and warm. She focused on him, yet _another_ mystery...

..._keep this up and I'll glitch before the next sunrise..._the sudden sarcasm almost made her snort.

"We all come into being questioning our purpose," he started, "only you can answer that question."

"..._You're a living creature, Demona, you are not a weapon or a tool to be used...You make the choices, and I know you have what it takes to be something great. Maybe you can end this war..."_

When she felt like her body would tear from the strain of a storming spark and a turbulent mind, she felt that same instinct to reach for _him_. Megatron.

But the memory of him nearly killing her through their bond, the dream of him taking the lives of so many innocents, froze her down to her frame. The urge crumbled beneath the weight of it.

_He left you to die, and when he finally turned to you again, it was to punish you, and it nearly finished what Mission City started. _

_Just a tool. Just a weapon. Not his sparkling. Not his daughter. _

_He left you._

"Demona," Prime started again, a sharp uncertainty to his voice, "who...who is your mech creator?"

_The first time you ever saw the sun, ever saw a lit sky, was here. With Gears, and...Alex. Not there, with him. The first time someone touched you without the intent of pushing you to your limits was Gears...and Alex. _

_She came. She sought you out and was there when Prime lifted you from the destruction. And she stayed. She's been beside you, healing you in ways you never knew existed. _

_Not him. _

_She believes in you, she protects you. _

_He hurts you, abandons you. _

_Always...alone..._

The coming exhaustion was overwhelming. She felt her body falling back into recharge, but not before she whispered, voice pained, "_I am no one's child_."

_I've always been alone._

* * *

><p><strong>:'C<strong>

**Ok, ok, it's almost one in the morning and I'm still up writing like crazy...I'm on a roll here, people...**

**This chapter means a lot to me.  
>I don't know where it came from, it was supposed to be another Demona-Gears chapter, but it morphed into this monstrosity...where Demona is so sunk in conflict and pain she actually disowns her big bad daddy. (THANK YOU PRIMUS). Let's hope to the heavens it stays that way...the downside is is that now she doesn't know what to do anymore, poor girl...Process of elimination. She's picking out things she knows that is no longer possible for her.<strong>

**And wow she's come to think a lot of Gears and her family...**

**And I really,_ really_ like the way how Prime came out in this one...**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers and it's original characters do not...**

**...I'm going to go beat my head against the wall now...all of this crap took way too much energy out of me and I've got crap to do and company over tomorrow...Slaggit.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Gears tried her damnedest to sit still, nestled back into that comfy spot on Demona's chest. She tried to let her body relax into the familiar warmth. She tried to doze to the sound of the soft hum that was always going, coming from Demona's body...

...But it was _so hard..._

She had given up on trying to wipe the huge grin on her face off hours ago, after she had _finally_ heard the most amazing sentences in the world.

First, late last night, Ratchet, turning to her and Prime with a relieved look when he finished repairing the damage to Demona's arms and chest, _"her state is improving. Her spark is reacting to the repairs and she's finally recovering." _

_She's not in danger anymore..._

Second, even _later_ that night, being hunted down by William Lennox himself to be informed that whoever was in charge had cleared her request and that, _"they've already made the call and are on their way to get your kids."_

Her heart was soaring. And there was no way she could even catch up with it.

The soft hum changed the slightest, and the surface she was on raised slightly as Demona's body tensed from onlining. Gears lifted her head and automatically locked on the robot's face, "Good morning, Dem."

Demona's dim optics brightened slightly and focused on her, becoming confused when she saw Gear's smile. Gears explained, "they're going to let my boys come here for a while, so we can stay here with you until you're healed."

..._And we know for sure you're going to make it through this now. _

Gears watched as her eyes softened...but there was something...off.

Gears' lips twitched before forming a light frown, "what's wrong?"

"I...don't know," Demona answered quietly. She turned her gaze back up, towards the ceiling, "I don't know anymore."

Gears blinked down at her, then turned and repositioned herself so she was sitting up and facing her, "what don't you know?"

She seemed to hesitate, eyes carefully going around the room to find it empty outside of the two of them. Gears patted the plate of armor she was leaning against softly, gaining the robot's attention again.

"what I am...?" Demona said in a pained voice, "who...my family is? He..."

Gears felt her heart clench when her tone almost broke with agony, "he left me, Gears. _He left me_."

Gears hesitated. Somewhere in her mind, she realized it was the first time Demona had _ever_ addressed her directly with her name. At the same time, she hated that it had to be over _this_ of all things for her to break that barrier.

Gears leaned against her before softening her voice like she had done to calm Alex down over the phone, "...Megatron?"

And the warmth left her face. The plates and little pieces seemed to shift or change, pulling in to make an expression of unexplainable hurt. Gears caught her new hands clenching out of the corner of her eyes. _Well, if there was any doubts about who the mystery-dad was before..._

"_Autobots_ pulled me out," Demona hissed, "after years of listening to him tell me that they were nothing but piles of sparkless slag...he told me that I was created to _end_ them, to bring peace...but _their fragging __leader _pulled me from that pile, _no__t__him__..._"

Demona closed her eyes, letting her head tilt back as if she didn't have it in her to hold it up anymore. Her next words nearly sent Gears tumbling off her perch in shock and rage; "he killed my...'mother'...He dug his claws into her spark and pulled it from her chest in front of me, minutes after I'd been created..."

Gears felt her body coil, brain switching from 'happy-as-a-high' to 'hunt-and-destroy' in half a second. She dug her fingers into her jeans, but said nothing. She knew that the shield around Demona's heart-spark-whatever was cracked for the day. She could sense that her over-sized charge wasn't done.

"...she had just enough time to reach out to me and make the bond before she was gone, and I was _so empty..._I wanted to _destroy_ him, I _hated_ him...but he was all I had...and it all faded...because he was there, and I never wanted to be alone..." her tone switched from the pained hiss to the broken whisper, "...I didn't want to be alone..."

"...I tried so_ hard _to be what he envisioned...each time I fell, I forced myself back up and fought _harder, _even when I was on the verge of permanently offlining...I wanted _nothing_ but his_ approval_...I was willing to do _anything_ to keep him with me..." she fell quiet, the deafening silence filling the air for so long Gears thought she had gone back to sleep, but then she spoke up again, "and he left me to rust...because I failed just _one_ time...and I _still_ ended up alone despite all of my efforts..."

"_I've always been alone_," Demona concluded, "he never saw me as anything more than an object...But that's fine..._I won't be his precious 'weapon' anymore..."_

Gears stared down at her, trying to process the load that had just been laid on her. She watched as Demona's eye's began to darken. She knew that the story had taken it out of her, had probably _hurt like hell_ to say. At first, Gears couldn't move. Then, as it really sunk in, she slipped from her cozy little spot and carefully slid her way down until her bare feet touched the steel of the berth.

She felt tears rising for the second time that week, and just like before, she couldn't stop them from falling. Gears draped her body over Demona's throat, wrapping her arms around her as much as she could. She whispered, face turned into the thick cables there, "you're not alone, Demona...not anymore...you've got Optimus now, and you've got me...and Alex...and Alec...You won't _ever_ be alone again..."

Whether or not the decepticon heard her was unknown to Gears. But she slipped into recharge and her body loosened slightly like it always did. Her clenched hands fell open.

Gears hugged tighter when she felt shadows fall over them. She didn't need to look up to know that they belonged to the autobot medic and his leader.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh, just found out that someone volunteered me for a church thing tuesday, and she's set on making me go so she's spending the night tomorrow...Won't be able to update for a while...so I'm going to throw some extra stuff up(more updates!)<strong>

**The boys need to hurry up and get there to cheer their mom and 'sister' up. :( At least she's gotten to the point where she trusts Gears enough to share...poor thing...**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"MOMMA!"

Gears let a mile-wide grin fill her face as the happy squeal reached her. She turned from her conversation with Epps and the autobot named Jazz about decent music, and raised her arms in a 'V' as her boys entered the room, "My babies!"

Alec, although notably busted up and bandaged, carried two duffel bags on one shoulder and a messenger on the other. Little bitty Alex with his equally little bitty legs was on his shoulders and leaning forward with a thrilled expression, bouncing up and down, sporting his favorite Batman backpack.

Gears watched as her oldest, in one practiced motion, raised a arm to take Alex by the hands and carefully unwrap him from his neck to set him gently on the floor. Alex, living up to his nickname, was out of reach in half a second, sliding across the floor with the biggest smile she'd ever seen on his face. He kept crying, "Momma! Momma! Momma!"

Gears left the two males and rushed to meet him, swooping down to pick up her baby. Out of old habit, she held him out and away from her first to rake her eyes down his form to make sure that _no one _had laid a hand on him.

But he reached and grabbed for her, and when she finally pulled him in, he wrapped every inch of his little body around her. He gave a happy squeak when she spun around once, burying her face in his soft red hair.

Alec was there a minute later, dropping the bags and wrapping his powerful arms around the both of them. He was taller and wider than Gears, taking after his father's 'power-lifter' build. He squeezed, but not enough to hurt, and put his chin on top of her head with a soft smile. Alex let loose a round of giggles as he became the 'cheese' of their little family sandwich, wiggling and climbing his way up Gears' body until his little head popped up between them. He kissed her on the cheek and freed his arms to put around both of their necks.

_My boys, _she thought softly, closing her eyes and letting herself sink into it, _my life._

Gears freed one arm and wrapped it around Alec, heart warming as she felt a little hand playing in her hair. She let her oldest step back when she felt him tense slightly to do so.

Gears gave Alex a boost when he started to weasel his way up to her shoulders, and put a hand around a thin ankle just in case he fell. He went to work with her loose hair, running tiny fingers through it and braiding it.

She looked at Alec, lifting her free hand to touch the side of his face that wasn't bandaged, but there was a nasty bruise. It was one of the ugliest bruises she had ever seen, the point of it just outside the corner of his eye. Alec said, answering her unspoken question, "nothing's broke. But I've got stitches on my knuckles and on my face. Doc says they'll leave scars."

Gears spared him a tired smile, "you've got tough skin, like your daddy."

He grinned at her, then reached up and ruffled Alex's hair. The younger grinned back, saying, "bubba really scared them when he got angry, and they all ran like crazy chickens!"

Gears let loose a short laugh, but blinked when an amazed "_whoa"_ echoed above her. Gears tilted her head back enough to look at him, seeing that his wide green eyes were fixed on something else. She followed his gaze to see Jazz raise a hand to wave.

"Wow! There's _more_ of them!" Alex said excitedly. Gears half expected him to come rushing back down and prepped herself to catch him. But the child stayed right where he was, still tugging lightly through her hair. Alec sighed beside her when the boy shot off, "What's your name? Do you know Demona? Do you have any friends? Where are they?"

The autobot paused. Gears couldn't see his expression because he had that stupid visor down, but she could tell that he was surprised. He seemed to count in his head, "Jazz, yeah, yeah, and they're sleepin'."

"My names Alex!" He greeted, "but my nickname is Critter, because I can crawl _really_ fast! And Demona's my_ best_ friend! Is she your friend, too?"

Jazz's expression softened, "yes she is."

Gears watched as the boy's smile grew, "she's really nice, huh? She's pretty too."

He switched his attention back down to Gears, staring down at her and bending so they were almost nose-to-nose. He let loose a peal of bright laughter when Gears blew in his face. He said, "Momma, where is she? I wanna see her, make sure she's okay."

Gears tried to stop it, but her expression faded anyway, and the boy saw it. His eyes saddened, "Momma, whats wrong? Did she get hurt again?"

"Yeah, baby, but..." Gears paused, searching for the right way to explain, as his eyes completely lost the glow they'd had just seconds ago, "...she's hurt_ inside_, in her heart. Demonas having a hard time right now, and she's not...happy."

"What happened?" Alec asked. Gears glanced at him to see a look of genuine concern in his eyes as he lifted the bags again. She sighed, "we figured out who her parent is..."

Jazz shifted closer in a liquid-smooth motion. Gears sent him a look, gathering that Prime and Ratchet had probably kept their little discovery a secret. She faced her kid again, "...lets just say it's a _wonder_ she isn't screwy in the head. He's _bad_ news."

"So she has a mean daddy?" Alex asked quietly, hands stilling to rest on top of her head. Gears nodded, "mean is an understatement for him. Anyway, Demona is hurting because of the things he's done to her."

"That's bad," Alex told her, "a daddy shouldn't ever hurt his kid...right, momma?"

"That's right, babe," she answered with another nod. She put a hand on Alec's back to nudge him in the right direction, "let's go see if she's awake. I bet she'll be _so_ happy to see you."

"I bet _I'll_ be happier to see_ her_!" Alex challenged, cheerful mood snapping back into place. Alec let Gears take one of the bags and followed her out of the room.

* * *

><p><strong>8D AWWWW! *grabs Alex and cuddles* YOU'RE SO CUTE!<strong>

**Anyway, much love to my readers! :) You guys are awesome.**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Half of her spark was missing.

Demona stood in darkness, but this time, she didn't search for anything to light her way. She had seen enough horrors, and would rather them be hidden.

She shuttered her optics tiredly, flexing the claw-like toes on her feet. Ratchet had yet to get going on her legs, and it was driving her processor insane. She was a _warrior_, she needed to be up on her feet. She needed to be ready to fight, to defend.

The near constant ache in her chest wasn't helping, either.

She waited for that side of her, the one that simply loved her mech creator and wanted nothing more than to return to his side, to speak up for him. But that voice in her spark was silent.  
>Silent for the <em>first<em> time.

She hadn't tested or even_ touched_ the bond she shared with him, and she knew that if he tried to from his end, the link would be long and frozen to him. _I don't give a frag._

Since her realization, she'd been lost.

Demona was but a tool to him. She understood now.

And it nearly_ killed_ her when she had finally wrapped her processor and spark around it...how many times had she forced herself away from stasis lock or offlining for him? How many times had she stayed up in that cold, black place to tend to the wounds _he_ had given to her so she could serve his purposes the next day? Those times when he had went away on his searches for that fragging all spark, when he had left her alone to her thoughts and dark memories, to suffer and ache for his company...all of those long, silent years wasted on waiting for his return...

She snarled, the sound echoing in the realm of her dreams.

_If I am not a weapon, then what am I?_

_If I am not a decepticon, then what am I?_

_If I am not a killer, then what am I?_

_If peace doesn't exist, then what am I?_

_If he is not my family, then who is?_

_You should have killed me, Megatron. You should have torn my spark from chest as you had done to my femme creator. _

She opened her optics, casting a look down at her hands as her claw blades slid into existence, gleaming dangerously before her despite the lack of lighting. She slowly spread and closed the blades, unconsciously comparing them to his hands.

_I cannot change who my mech creator is..._a pained thought wrapped around her, _I cannot reach back into time and tear those stained memories out of my head. You should have killed me...you should have..._

Distantly, she felt a nudge. It was a tiny one, almost too small to notice, but she felt it, and it was coming from _him._ New pains flared up, and she clenched her dentals to avoid slamming a wall down over the bond. A sudden lack of contact could possibly offline them _both_. She knew he was checking to see if she was mobile yet. He already knew that his 'punishment' hadn't killed her, or else he would have _felt_ it in his spark. He would have felt the agony, have relived the death_ he'd_ given her.

_'Demona.'_

Again, she voiced her rage and let her blades spin in anticipation, as if awaiting a battle. She pulled at the bond, but not in the way that she had once done to reassure him. Now she lengthened the distance, so that he'd have to work _harder _to reach her.

A hot wave of anger reached her, but she pushed it back, adding her own rage to it so it was a black blast of emotion. It hit him, and she could feel his shock.

She had _never _rejected him, never sent him anything but pure, unbridled loyalty. She felt his claws reaching through, stretching open to clench her spark again. But this time was _different. _Despite her efforts, his chilling voice still reached her, making her frame tense, _'you will __answer__ when I call.'_

He was close to her spark when she lashed out, cold voice far darker than his, _'you left me to DIE!' _She shoved her own assault at him, visualizing her claw blades flying towards him. _'I have done nothing but SERVE you, and you left me to rust in that pile of destruction! Fragging AUTOBOTS dug me out!'_

His reply shocked her into a still silence.

He_ laughed._ A sparkless, freezing sound that rolled through her and chilled her down to her frame. She had heard it many times before, but it didn't effect her like it used to. She growled through their link.

_'Good, Demona...you have that rage inside you...it will drive you to kill those pathetic autobots...' _he whispered to her, _'...the anger will change you, finish molding you into the decepticon I have worked so hard to create...'_

_frag off, _she muttered in her processor. She strained the bond again, getting as close to shutting it off as possible. Demona tried her hardest to ignore him, but his claws once again inched towards her spark...

A soft, warm touch pressed to her helm, immediately dragging her away from him. She easily blocked him out with this familiar distraction, and when she felt herself waking, she pushed it with all of her strength.

She onlined her optics and blinked, once again returning to her weakened body. Demona waited for the 'good morning, Dem' Gears always gave her when she onlined, but she was met with a surprise.

"Demona!" A child cried. She felt a tiny little warm body bury itself like a parasite in her throat, wrapped all around her restored pieces of armor. Her spark came to life, humming warmly as she put a face and a name to the voice and heat signature.

_Alex._

She lifted a hand and cupped it over him, carefully so she didn't smash a small hand or foot. The little sparkling seemed to shake with happiness, little fingers busy tracing the curves in her throat cables. He took hold of her hand when he felt it upon him, slipping between her fingers like a little organic sparkling pretzel. She lifted him, raising her other hand to hold beneath him in case he slipped, and held him above her face so she could get a look at him.

_Fragging humans,_ her processor muttered when she felt her optics soften. Her vision became better as they brightened, focusing on his beautiful green organic ones. He smiled sweetly at her, and stretched an arm out, reaching towards her face, "I was so worried about you, Demona! Momma told me that you weren't feeling good, and I kept having bad dreams where you got _really_ hurt, _really_ bad!"

The genuine concern and adoration in his tone eased her processor and pushed Megatron's contact and those horrid questions to the very back of her attention. Demona slowly lowered him to her cheek, loosening her fingers just enough for him to free his top half and lean down. He ran his small hands over her cheek plates, "but you're feeling better, right? Momma says that your heart hurts...I'm sorry! If I give you a hug, it might make you feel better!"

"Yes, young one," Demona said softly, "I'm feeling well."

A smile appeared on his face that was brighter than the sun. He wiggled closer and spread his arms over that side of her face, 'hugging' her. The odd gesture, which had meant nothing to her before, now sent a wave of comfort through her. The rage Megatron had praised vanished as if it had never been.

All of it, _gone_ with the attention of a creature so _small and fragile_...Demona began to remember all the things this little one's creator had told her in her times of desperation, when she was on the verge of _loosing it all_...all the times her touch had brought comfort she had never known before...

And now, his body, too small for his age, hugging her as tight as he possibly could, as if she'd float away if he let up even the slightest...

_If he had offlined me like my femme creator, I would have never known this family...I would not have known this sparkling._

Demona shuttered her optics, and _slaggit, _she couldn't stop the weary smile from lifting the corners of her mouth.

* * *

><p><strong>:D It's about time you told 'em off, Dem. That's my girl. And she actually smiled! 8D They're back together...love the Alex-Demona bits...(hopefully next chapter will have more, but I wanna get Alec in on the lovin's too...)<strong>

**:3 alright, I crammed like three or four chapters in today, so I don't want to hear any complaning! You'll have to wait until tomorrow to get more!**

**Love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Gears smiled softly as she watched her youngest son cuddle with an eighteen-foot-tall alien robot. He was happily attached to Demona's face. Hopefully not _permanently, _but happily. His little green eyes were simply glowing as he chattered off to Demona, telling her all about his days at school since the last time he'd seen her, talking to her with such an ease.

And Demona, bless her heart, sat there and listened to it _all_.

Her smile grew as Alex flipped it and started asking her a round of questions, leaving enough space between each one for Demona to answer them in the absolute minimum of words. She had lowered her hands back to her sides since he had a good grip on her cheek plates and was safe from falling, but Gears knew that they'd be up in a flash if something went wrong.

Alec was sitting next to her, letting her lean on him as he watched in silence. He seemed fascinated, but he refrained from interrupting. Gears patted him unconsciously on the knee, peace thrumming through her now that her family was back together.

"...Hey, Demona. You never answered my question," Alex paused. Gears laughed when Demona got this dazed look on her face and said, "which one?"

"can you fly?" he asked, squinting at her eyes, "because it'd be _really_ cool if you can..."

"Yes," Demona answered, "I am what they call a triple-changer. I have three forms, my land alternate, which is a 2010 dodge charger, this form, and an aerial one."

"Wow! So you can drive, walk, _and_ fly!"

Alec snorted beside Gears, but not in a rude manner. His eyes were laughing as he watched the amazed look cross his little brother's eyes.

"And really? A Charger?"

"...is there something wrong with it?" Demona asked.

"No! That's an _awesome_ car!"

That little bitty smile appeared on Demona's face, one Gears had noticed the second she'd put it on when she'd onlined to the little clingy ball of questions. She wondered if Demona realized just how gentle she looked, eyes soft and raised with a kid slapped on her face in a little 'X' across her cheek.

"And when did you change colors? And how did you know red was my_ favorite_ one?"

another dazed look, but she answered nonetheless, ever patient, "when I found my land alternate. When I scanned, my armor changed to red like it was back on Cybertron."

"Ooooh...what's a Cybertron? It sounds cool!"

At that moment, Optimus stepped in, looking tired, as usual. He'd been called to several meetings lately, and all the free time he had he spent in here with Demona, watching over her. _He's an awesome uncle._ Gears sent him a warm smile and held a finger to her lips, pointing at the odd, but adorable, pair on the berth.

He stepped inside rather quietly for a metal man. Gears watched as his blue eyes fell upon Demona, took in the human sticker on her face, and lit up like stars.

"It's my home planet," Demona told him softly, "where all cybertronians come from."

"That's what you are, right?"

"Yes," Demona answered him, "I'm a cybertronian femme...I was under the command of Megatron, who leads the Decepticon faction."

"but...aren't they the bad guys?"

Demona seemed to loose herself in thought, struggling to come up with an explanation, "I was born into it, Alex. I was raised to think that it was the right way to live...but now I know..."

"Know what?"

"That it's not."

He blinked at her, then scowled, "wasn't it a decepticon that broke the building that fell on you?"

Gears shot Alec a glare. She hadn't told Alex about it, thinking that it would practically traumatize the kid. Alec sent her a wide-eyed look and shrugged. The conversation went on as Alex answered his own question, "yeah, it was...stupid weenie. I hope he gets beat up or someone sits on him or something..."

Gears pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her head as Alec shuddered with quiet laughter. Optimus looked _very_ amused and made himself comfortable, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest armor.

A strange silence filled the air, until it was broken by a sound Gears had _never_ heard before. It was a soft, almost raspy sound but at the same time it had a beautiful ring to it, like music. She tensed, wondering just where the _hell_ it came from...

A round of boyish-giggles joined in, and her eyes widened as she found the source.

Demona, she was _laughing. _Not a full out grab-your-gut-and-try-to-breathe laugh, but a _good, _honest one. Gears stared, awestruck, as the robot's form trembled slightly from it, her eyes closed. Alex was giggling along with her, laying his head down and smiling.

_Oh my damn, _Gears thought, _Alex just made Demona laugh. _

Up until a few minutes ago, Gears hadn't known if the 'femme' could even _smile._..

She cast a quick look at Prime to see a similar look of shock on his face, but it softened, and a little smile of his own played on his lips.

Alex leaped back into the interrogation once she had stopped laughing, "do you have any big brothers like Alec?"

Demona's expression saddened the slightest, "no. I don't have any siblings."

"aww...that's sad...what about a mom?"

"I don't have one of those, either," Demona said, voice turning tense. Alex seemed to catch the hint and bounced to something else, "so what does your flying form look like? Is it like a jet?"

"I haven't found one on earth that's appropriate," Demona told him, "it took me a while just to find my land alternate."

"so what? It looks like the one you had on Cybertron?"

"yes."

He blinked, then grinned broadly, "like a UFO! _Cool!_"

Gears and Alec both laughed at the weird look Demona gave him with that one.

The boy laughed and spread his fingers over the pieces of metal on her cheek, "Demona, you're my best friend, you know that? You're like...so awesome, and nice, and pretty...I wish you'd crashed in our yard a_ long_ time ago..."

"me too, young one," Demona said softly.

"You don't look at me funny and you don't get mad at me when I ask questions..." he continued, "and you don't make fun of my legs..."

"Why would I?"

He blinked, lifting his head again to look at her, "well, because...they're different."

Gears leaned back against Alec when Demona answered, softly, "you are exactly as you should be."

Gears blinked back tears when he stared at her with wide eyes. Demona met his gaze gently, her eyes sincere. His gaze softened, and for a minute she thought he might cry, but he just reached over and poked her nose-plate-thing, "I love you, Demona."

* * *

><p><strong>:D He said it! :3<strong>

**I'm going to try to squeeze out a few more chapters here in another hour or so before company gets here...you won't be seeing me tomorrow though, since I'll be gone all day...**

**Love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family. and the story all belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

_He...he just said..._

_...what...?_ Demona's processor seemed to stutter while her spark rolled warmly inside her, the meaning of the words reaching her.

She stared at the sparkling, and he stared at her. He grinned, "I mean it, Demona! I know you had a mean daddy...I don't have one so I don't know what its like, but it's okay! Please don't be sad anymore, because I love you!"

Demona felt her body tense slightly, and she shuttered her optics, "Alex..."

"And I know momma does too! She's been so worried about you!" he kept going, "and Alec too! If your daddy doesn't wanna have you anymore, we'll take you! You can be in our family!"

_Slagging kid..._her thoughts whispered as a wave of emotions coursed through her, coming right from her spark. He tapped on her nose plate again, waiting for a response. He blinked at her when she told him, "I don't...understand."

"He's trying to say that hes adopted you," came the voice of the sparkling's brother, "he's telling you that he wants you to be a part of the family."

"I think we've all adopted her," Gears said softly, her eyes watching Demona's, "I want you to come stay with us, Demona. I want to give you a home...you won't ever be alone with us. Never again."

Again, Demona shuttered her optics as possibilities assaulted her processor. Her spark hummed, burning brightly inside.

_A home. A family._

_...but he'll come back some day. He'll want me back at his side._

What would Megatron do to them if he found out they had won over his creation?

Images of their crushed bodies filled her mind, their blood pooling into the dirt like the energon of the countless sparklings and femmes in her dreams...

_No._

Dread curled around her spark, pain bloomed.  
>But more than anything, her spark raged with a need to protect, to defend...to <em>guard.<em>

_I won't let him._

She felt the darkness of recharge reaching for her again. This had been the longest she'd been online since her fall...the conversation, as much as it had eased her, had exhausted her...

She sensed movement.

Gentle fingers carefully removed the sparkling from her face, and she felt a light touch to her helm, "rest, Demona."

"Sweet dreams," Alex whispered to her. He poked at her nose again before the two disappeared, leaving her to fade.

When she woke again she could feel one of her legs down to her knee. Experimentally, she shifted it lightly.

No pain.

Her optics onlined, automatically searching the room, expecting to see Ratchet working away, but he was resting on the other berth, deep in recharge. Gears and Alex weren't in sight, either, but Alec was.

He was leaning against her shoulder armor, much like his creator would, and his green optics fell upon her when he felt her stare. He gave her a small smile, "how are you feeling?"

Demona hesitated.

Out of the three of them, Alec had been the cautious one. He had jumped to his mother's defense the first time he'd met her, and she had actually had to hold him back from climbing up Demona's legs when she lifted Alex into the air for the first time.

The sparkling seemed to see her thoughts through her eyes and shrugged, "Sorry about that. There's...not much of a family left for us. I was...worried."

"I'm well," she answered his question. He nodded, "Mom took Alex to go see the other autobots..."

A grin spread across his face, "I wish you could have seen his face when he saw Prime."

She tried to visualize it, but her processor wasn't up to speeds yet, so she asked instead, "did...did she mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"A home."

She watched as it clicked in his head. He leaned back against a plate of armor, "She did. Mom really cares about you...like you're the daughter she never had."

A_ daughter..._

Demona shuttered her optics and let her head tilt back, "you humans have changed me..."

She felt his hand wipe over a plate of armor, "for the best, I hope."

Silence fell between them for a moment, until she said, voice strained, "Alec, what is a protector?"

He stilled and repeated, clearly confused, "a protector?"

"she said I was a protector, not a killer...but...what is a protector?"

He raised a hand to press to his forehead, but stopped with a wince when he remembered that he was wounded. He sent a scowl up at the ceiling, trying to come up with an answer. He muttered to himself then looked back down at her, the look gone, "A protector is a guardian. They find something worth living for and they dedicate themselves to keep that something safe. They protect it from all dangers and evils...they keep it alive."

_Something worth living for..._

"are you a guardian?" she asked him.

"Yes," he answered, "I protect my mom and my brother."

Demona let his words settle in her mind. She faded a little, but focused on him again when he told her, "as strange as it sounds, I'm glad you came along. Someday, you'll find something worth living for."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for a sloppy chapter...ugh...my brains not up to speed right now. Stayed up late last night, woke up early this morning...Got an annoying friend over...<strong>

**Anyway, I'm trying to get a bond going between Alec and Demona...because I want her to be close to all three of them. :) It looks like he's already (whether he knows it or not) asserting himself as a protective big brother to her, too. **

**Anyway, much love to my lovely readers. **

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Gears smiled, watching as her youngest climbed his way down from his place on her hip. Her hands were ready to catch him if he fell, but he made it down safely.

He settled on the floor, and looked up at her with a smile, "I can't wait until Ratchet finishes fixing Demona! She looks a lot better!"

He blinked and twisted around to stare wide-eyed as a couple of _big_ trucks rolled in. Gears knew _who_ they were, but she had yet to show him what each of the bots looked like in their car mode. But, being a boy, little Alex was simply fascinated by the sheer size of the trucks. He looked back up at her, "Momma, who's are those?"

"They belong to themselves, baby," Gears answered him. He gave her a confused look, then grinned _real_ big, and before she could worry or say something, he was gone.

He cried, already halfway across the room, "come get me, momma!"

Gears took off in pursuit, sliding across the floor with an equally big grin across her face.

The 'hot rod' semi rolled to a stop and idled, the Top Kick following it's lead as the tiny boy skittered past. Gears was seconds behind, dropping down to her hands and knees when he came in reach. Giggling, the boy rolled under the big black truck.

There was a minute stab of fear inside her, but Gears then remembered that these vehicles were sentient-_never thought I'd say that one-_and that one was Prime, who wouldn't _ever_ hurt a child. She wasn't positive about the other, but after the way she'd seen Ironhide get defensive over Demona, she had some faith in him.

"Sorry," Gears muttered to him, laying flat and reaching her hands under. Still giggling madly, Alex crawled to the other side and squeezed himself beneath the semi.

Gears snorted, "I'm going to get my hands on you, goober...whether you like it or not..."

"not if you can't catch me!" He sang from his hidey-hole. Gears blinked when the top kick actually raised on it's axles, allowing enough room for her to safely pass. She smiled and quickly dove beneath it. She rolled out from beneath it and reached out almost blindly beneath the semi.

Her fingers brushed baby-soft red hair and then over smiling lips. She closed her hand softly around his arm and pulled him out, wrapping her body around him and pressing her face into his neck to give him a big wet kiss. He fought, but not hard, and caved in to her with bright squeals of laughter. Soon his little arms were squeezing her.

Gears eased the two of them out from under both vehicles so they were between them. She relaxed on her side, loosening her hold so he could wiggle up and bury his hands in her hair. She closed her eyes with a smile, "I caught you."

"Momma, you're silly," he said, "I _let_ you catch me. I'm _way_ faster than you."

"maybe..." Gears said, "but I'm pretty quick, too."

He tried to break free but she hugged him tight, and he exclaimed, "AND strong!"

She chuckled softly, letting herself sink into the moment.

* * *

><p>"Be careful, it may take a minute to find your balance," Ratchet said, posting himself beside Demona as she pushed herself up.<p>

Alec stepped back from her on the berth, watching as she glanced down at her feet. She flexed her claw-like toes experimentally, each one restored.

The old strength filled her...she'd never been happier to look down and see that her legs were whole. Demona gripped the edge of the berth and slid down until her feet landed on the cold floor. She felt the medic's hand on her back, ready to support.

Demona waited for the trembling to leave her, and when it did, she took her first step...

...And nearly fell flat on her face.

Ratchet saved her, hauling her back upright with his hands under her arms. He warned, "easy, youngling."

Demona gave a single, small nod and waited for him to back off before she tried again. This time she held her own.

She made a few trips around the berth before the medic cleared her to actually _leave_, after _weeks_ of being stuck in the same room, on the same berth. But he had only done so after making sure she knew that she was to return before nightfall. Alec offered to accompany her, and uneasily settled himself in her hand when she lowered it to him wordlessly.

Demona ignored the curious look the mech sent them, and made her way out.

She stopped in the hallway when she met the wide-eyed gaze of a second mech, the only one she had not actually spoken to yet. He was smaller than the others, just a little bigger than Jazz, and he was a bright yellow. He too carried a human in his hands, the boy that had been among the crowd present when she had dug herself out of the rubble.

Immediately, the boy in his hands tensed up, and the mech did as well, the shock leaving his face to be replaced by suspicion.

Demona paused, staring back. She kept her expression carefully blank. Alec shifted in her hand, standing up and taking a step closer towards the edge. Instinctively, she bent her fingers to create a safe barrier.

Alec called, "Are you Sam?"

The boy blinked back, the tension seeping out of him, "Um, yeah."

Alec folded his arms over Demona's finger and sent him an odd look, "so _you're_ that Witwicky kid every ones been talking about."

"Are you Gears' kid?" the one called Sam shot back.

"I'm Alec James, and yeah, she's my mom."

Demona glanced down at her young charge, watching him as he communicated. She caught the mech cast her one last careful look before looking down at his own human in the same manner.

"You can chill," Alec told them, "Demona's not going to blow the place to hell or anything."

Sam blinked, "but she's..."

Demona blinked when she felt the young one in her hand tense up like he was about to strike, "Can we skip the whole 'she's a decepticon' talk? Because she's _not_ one of them. And if mom catches you talking like that she'll do _horrible_ things to you."

The human blinked again.

Demona felt her spark warm a little, and she brought the boy closer to her chest. Her optics dropped to the floor when an familiar sparkling cried, "Demona! You're standing up!"

And before she could process what he was doing, Alex had flung himself across the floor and molded to her toe-claws. Gears was smiling as she walked after him, "How are you feeling, Dem?"

"Whole," Demona answered, "Ratchet does his job well."

The woman smiled softly at her, passing the yellow mech. She reached Alex and managed to pry his little body off of her. Demona knelt slowly, reaching out with her free hand to lightly touch the boy on his back. He grinned at her, "your legs are all better! And you got your toes back!"

"Yes I did," she answered quietly. She felt her optics soften when he reached out and touched her hand. Gears followed his example, running her fingers down a knuckle.

"You look good, Dem," Gears said softly, "I bet you're happy to be back on your feet again."

Demona opened her mouth to answer when the entire structure shuddered with an explosion.

On instinct, Demona bent her body over her humans. She felt Gears and Alex huddle between her toes, Alec dropped to his knees in her palm and covered his head. The yellow mech across from them fell to a knee but held his charge close to his chest. His free hand had already transformed into a cannon.

Ratchet charged out, "What the _slag_-"

There was a painful yank on her spark that almost made Demona stagger beneath it's intensity. She snarled, gathering their attention, "_Megatron!_"

She had just enough time to get the name out before Hoover Dam shuddered again. Something collapsed with a roar outside.

The assault began.

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah...not happy with this one...I hate the part where they meet Sam. It's not right...<strong>

**Anyway, happy days are over! :D Naturally, the moment Demonas cleared is the same one Megatron decides to attack...Anyway, sorry for the crappy chapter. :(**

**Love to my readers...**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not. **


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Panic gripped Gears' heart in an iron fist, squeezing.

Alex screamed, molding himself to her body in his fear. His green eyes were wide, and he reached out to Demona's toe when she spread herself over them like a living shield.

Gears' eyes flew from place to place as the walls of Hoover Dam continued to tremble and groan. Ratchet and the other yellow autobot were long gone.

"Demona! What's happening?" Alec yelled from above them, still cupped in the robot's hand and pressed to her chest. The other hand hovered above Gears and Alex, ready to pluck them up if they needed to move.

Demona's answer came, her voice still calm despite what was happening around them, "Decepticons are attacking. Megatron is breaking into Hoover Dam for the all spark."

"_What _do we do?" Gears shouted, wrapping her boy tight in her arms and raising her eyes to their protector, "Demona! _Where_ do we go?"

She looked, casting her eyes around the halls as a couple of soldiers rushed past, snarling curses. Then, once her eyes fell back on the open door way that led to the med bay, Demona's free hand swept down towards them and lifted them as gently as possible from the ground.

Gears settled in the center of her palm, whispering to her baby when she felt his warm tears soak through her shirt. He cried, "Momma! I'm _scared!_"

Demona ran back in, adjusting to her new legs well. She punched a hole into the base of the berth in the very back of the room with her elbow, then shifted Alec into the hand that held Gears and Alex. Gears watched as Demona mashed and bent the sharp edges down and created something of a burrow in in the solid steel. All the while, Demona was telling them, "I must help the others. You will stay here, _hidden_. _Do not move_ from this place until I come get you."

"But, Demona! You'll get hurt again!" Alex nearly screamed, "What if you don't come back?"

Demona finished smoothing out the edges. She pressed her knuckles into the bottom of the hole to make it deeper so they wouldn't tumble out or easily be seen. She deposited them inside carefully, and paused to give them the gentlest look Gears had ever seen, "Alex, I will _always_ come back to you. _No force_ could keep me from returning."

Gears' heart warmed despite all of the danger. She grabbed Alec's sleeve with one hand and supported Alex with the other when Demona finally lowered them towards it. Gears pulled both her boys and they all settled inside.

Before Demona could pull her hand back, Gears reached out and wrapped her hands tight around the plating of one finger, drawing her attention immediately.

Gears stared into Demona's beautiful red eyes, and whispered, "Demona, you have a place with us, a home and a family! You _remember _that! You _will_ come back to take that place!"

Demona's finger lifted from her hands and gently passed over her head. Gears watched, pain already unfolding inside her, as she rose to her feet and almost glided out of the room on those powerful legs over hers, claw blades sliding out with a musical cling of metals and battle mask flipping into place.

Gears watched her go, and couldn't help but call out after her, even though she knew the girl was too far away to hear.

So Gears dropped to the floor of the refuge Demona had dug out for the three of them, distantly realizing just how smooth and deep the little bowl was. She had _really_ made an effort to make sure they would be safe inside it.

Alex put himself in her arms and Alec took the both of them in his, burying his face into her hair like he used to as a child. Gears stared up, tears filling her eyes as she recalled Demona's promise to Alex.

_She said she'll come back. She's __going__ to __come__back__._

_..._Then why did it feel like she had just said good bye?

* * *

><p>Demona's defense routines kicked in, powerful legs carrying her away from the med bay where the human family hid. She prayed and hoped to Primus that her efforts was enough to keep them safe throughout this chaos.<p>

Demona rushed down the halls, processor already locked on the general location of the main battle. Her claw blades spun rapidly in anticipation, her thoughts turning darkly amused as she realized she was about to defend the enemy, and fight against her own mech creator.

_He's a threat, _something argued inside of her, _he'll crush that organic family the second he finds them. You KNOW this._

_...I do._

With a dark snarl, she charged into a large room where she knew they had once kept the All spark. Her spark hummed angrily when her gaze fell upon a certain seeker as he dropped down through a widening hole in the ceiling. He swung an arm down and slammed his claws into the legs of an unsuspecting Ratchet, who fell and nearly found himself beheaded.

The old slagger was fast though, and quickly rolled away.

Demona growled, clenching her blades. She took a step forward and nearly found herself crushed beneath the struggle of another autobot and decepticon.

"Demona!" a familiar voice said coldly from nearby. Automatically, her optics fell upon the cold stare of her mech creator. He sent her a slow, savage grin, as he took hold of Jazz, "seek out that rage and destroy these pathetic heaps of scrap!"

More rage coursed through her as Jazz's systems let out a strained whine, but before she could interfere, Prime was there. He slammed into Megatron, knocking his hold on the saboteur loose. Jazz rolled away from their huge feet and jumped back up, casting her a worried glance before he charged after another.

Demona left Megatron alone to Prime. She turned to the jet instead, only to find him gone.

"No!" Ratchet gave a strangled shout. Demona spun to face him, already rushing towards his felled body.

He raised a hand after the quickly retreating form of Blackout, who grinned madly and leaped up into the sunlight filtering through the hole in the roof, transforming into his hulking chopper form and taking off.

"Optimus! The All Spark!" Ironhide shouted. The larger bot shoved Megatron down and turned, arm transforming into a blaster of some kind as he took quick aim. He fired, but missed the shot, and cursed under his breath as her mech creator retaliated with a cruel laugh.

Demona came to Ratchet's side, dropping to sit him up. He grabbed her wrist first, met her gaze, and said, "If they get away with the all-spark, the human race is finished! Demona, _stop_ him!"

She pressed a hand to his shoulder then stood and rushed towards the opening, leaping up into the air to pursue. She was beginning to transform when a rough set of claws clutched at her from behind. She tensed as the seeker reached an arm around her to grip her chest armor. He growled, "you will fly with _me_, femme."

Demona reached up with her blades and sunk them into the soft cables and wiring beneath the armor on his arm, and tore it down. He snarled viciously and dropped her immediately.

A second hand snagged her from the air, a much larger one.

Demona raised her optics, even though she already knew who had caught her.

A part of her realized that before the battle in Mission City, her spark would have soared with the knowledge that he cared enough to save her. But now, she felt _nothing_. And if the way how he painfully clenched her shoulder was any indication, he knew it.

* * *

><p><strong>DX damn I'm tired...<strong>

**Anyway...Demona meets Starscream once again! Wonder what he's got in store for him now that he's stuck with her?**

**Much love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not. **


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"_Don't touch me,_" Demona warned, dropping her tone. She narrowed her optics at him, claw-blades still deployed, waiting to shove him away again.

But the slagging seeker was almost desperate, and when she lowered her arm from striking him for the _third fragging time_, he took hold of her and pulled her closer, "You've spoken to Blackout, why not to me?"

"Because he didn't collapse a slagging building on top of me!" Demona snapped. She was aware that they were not alone, that several gazes were settled on them in amusement and jealousy.

"it was your fault for not moving," he told her. His cold red optics stayed fixed on her, "you had time."

"I will rip your wings from your back and rid you the ability to fly," she swore, "I will _permanently_ ground you."

He chuckled darkly, "not before _I make you scream_."

Demona bared her dentals at him, the blades on her free arm spinning madly. She clenched the ones on the arm he held, and then made her voice soft, "why don't you come _closer_, then?"

He grinned wickedly and pulled her in.

The cave exploded with the laughter of mechs when she raised her other hand and swept her blades across his face. He released her and staggered back with a snarl. Demona wasn't done with him yet. This time she reached for his arm, and had him face down on the ground with one powerful yank. She placed a foot on his back, holding him down, "_I've been waiting for this."_

"Demona."

Demona froze as the cold but amused voice reached her. Megatron's presence filled the room, silencing the others. She felt him test their bond, still strained and cold. She could sense that he found her disdain for the seeker enjoyable. It was just another thing that _tied_ her to him.

"release him," he ordered, "as much as I'd enjoy watching you put him in his place, he still serves a purpose."

Demona unlocked her claws from his back and stepped away. She, after noting that every corner was taken and she would be stuck between lust-hungry mechs, stepped over her victim and approached Megatron, retracting her blades with a sharp ring.

His gaze filled with that dangerous pride as she took her place on his right, "I see you've asserted yourself among the ranks..."

"_Always_ at your side, Megatron," she all but snarled, hating herself for speaking the words. _This is NOT the place to be a smart-aft...one word and he could have me shot down to a steaming pile of slag..._

He missed the bitterness, or chose not to care. He turned his gaze towards the seeker as he got back to his feet with a scowl, "Demona is not to be touched, Starscream, she belongs to one and one only."

"Yes, lord Megatron," Starscream said, casting her a murderous glare, "I did not realize she was claimed."

It took every ounce of Demona's strength not to go rigid at the statement. She clenched her dentals and forced herself to remain silent. She watched as he commanded them to clear the room.

She would have gladly left if he hadn't squeezed her spark through the creator bond and told her to remain.

Megatron bent beside her, opening his massive claws to reveal a small cube, what she instinctively knew was the all spark. She stilled at the sight of it, all enraged thoughts leaving her mind. Megatron chuckled darkly beside her, "Can you see it, Demona? The end is near, soon those autobots will be nothing but sparkless corpses beneath our feet..."

_Why is he...?_

She couldn't hold it back, even though she knew the real answer, "and we will bring life back to Cybertron..."

"yes," he promised, "Prime will fall and we will rise..."

Her spark clenched painfully at his claim as she thought about the leader of the autobots. _He's done nothing but watch over me...like Ratchet...and Gears..._

"Megatron," she said slowly when she knew he was done, "what will happen to this planet?"

"Fleshling technology is primitive, but with the all spark it will be deadly. We will change it into a new army."

_And all of the fleshlings will die,_ her processor finished his explanation for her in her head. _He will test their strength on them...and eliminate all of them..._

"Demona..." This time, she _did_ go rigid from his sudden change of tone. His other set of claws came crashing down on the back of her neck, forcing her down to her knees, "...don't think I haven't forgotten about your new rebellious spirit..."

Demona forced back the pained cry that threatened to break free from her vocals. She curled her hands into fists as she silently took it. His claws wrapped around her throat, easily slipping past her armor to press on her cables, forcing her to tilt her head back to relieve the pressure. She fixed her optics on his.

"And I've noticed that you've become..._attached_ to this useless organic species..." His optics narrowed, "if you betray me, Demona, I will tear your spark from your chest and leave your lifeless frame to rot."

_You already have._

But all she said, tonelessly, was, "Yes, Megatron."

"You are mine and mine only, I will_ not_ have you disobeying me."

"Yes, Megatron."

The pressure tightened then loosened as he let his hand ease around her neck. She stayed down, though, lowering her gaze from his to glare at the floor. The same claws that had nearly crushed her throat now stroked the newly sore cables there, "you are the weapon that will end them...the all spark will save our kind, but _you_ will save our cause..."

_I am no weapon!_ The thought raged through her. But, like a good little creation, she simply repeated, "Yes, Megatron."

* * *

><p><strong>One of the crappiest dad-daughter bonding moments I ever seen...<strong>

**I'm going to go crash now...don't expect any updates tomorrow morning/afternoon.**

**Demona's artwork is now in the process of being colored. :D I just finished her face and throat...work on her somemore wendesday.**

**Much love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Fear ran through her veins like liquid ice.

She felt it weigh her down as she scanned her eyes over the battle zone. In her head, she counted off, _Prime, Jazz, Bee, Ratchet, Ironhide..._

Gears straightened her posture, and called, "where is she?"

"_She_," the same soldier that had given her grief before snarled, standing up to glare at her, "helped those bastards steal the cube!"

"Lies!" she snarled, clenching her fists, "Demona is _not_ one of them!"

"She RAN with them!"

"Enough," Ratchet growled, sending the soldier a narrow-eyed look before fixing an almost sympathetic stare on her, "I fell and she came to my aid first, but Blackout found the cube and took it. I sent her to pursue, and when she did she was caught by Starscream."

"so...they took her?"

"Yes," he said, letting a ghost of defeat color his tone, "they are both gone."

"Horseshit!" the same soldier snapped, pointing a finger at him, "you_ saw_ her take off through that hole and fly after them! She probably gave her location away while she was here. We should have killed that worthless piece of evil-"

Before Gears could stop herself, she had her hands in his shirt and had slammed him against a wall. She narrowed her eyes into the coldest stare she could make, and whispered, "finish that sentence, I _dare_ you."

He stared at her with wide eyes, but the shock left him, and he spit at her.

He _spit _at her.

"_She's shit_, and so are _you and your_ poor little _family. Especially _that legless_ rat!_"

Gears felt the fear turn into steel-like rage, giving her new strength as her brain caught up to speed and realized that he had insulted _all three_ of her kids this time.

Momma was _not_ happy.

But again, before she realized it, the soldier was jerked out of her grasp and a loud 'crack' filled the air as fist connected with jaw. She turned her wide eyes to Alec, his entire six-foot-two body rigid with the same rage she felt. His usually gentle green eyes were lit with fire.

The soldier began to fall but her boy caught him by the collar, and threw his body back against the wall and held him there. He said, voice lowered, "First mistake you made was raising your voice at my mother."

His chilled tone echoed in the sudden silence that had followed the punch, and eyes all over the room were locked on them in varying expressions.

"Second mistake was threatening Demona who," here he raised his voice so everyone heard loud and clear, "has done nothing but protect my family and love them."

"And_ third_ was dragging my baby brother into this," he all but snarled last, "I don't care for fighting, it's never gotten me anywhere, but I'll happily _flatten_ your ass. Military or not, you don't have the _right_ to talk to someone that way, so _what in the hell_ makes you think that you can_ talk to my family like that_?"

Gears watched her son, feeling her body slightly relax as he took over, and _no one_ made a move to stop him.

"Demona has _saved_ lives, _human _lives, while the decepticons have done _nothing_ but_ take them _in all of their destruction," he told them, once again raising his voice to address them all, "She may not admit it, but I _know_ she loves my brother and will do anything to keep him safe."

He let the soldier slide to the floor and stepped away to cast his hard stare over them all, "before she took off to help you, she took the time to take all three of us and find a safe place to hide. When she _couldn't_ find one, she _made_ one, and then told us not to move from that spot until she came back for us. _Show her some freaking respect_, she's just as good as any of you, and she'll show it to you if _you just let her_."

He glanced down at the soldier and gave him a kick that was hard enough to make him yelp, "Don't _ever_ let me catch you talking to my mom like that again."

Gears tore her eyes away from him when she felt little hands pull on her pant's leg. She automatically crouched down and took Alex up in her arms, letting him wrap himself around her and bury his face in her neck. He whispered, voice trembling, "Momma...where is she?"

"we'll find her, baby," Gears soothed, closing her eyes to fight back tears, "we'll find our Demona..."

"Don't let them hurt her, momma..." he continued, "We just found her...she's a part of our family now...and we can't leave her behind..."

"No," Gears agreed, "we can't."

* * *

><p><strong>:'(<strong>

**Alec to the rescue! :D I wish he'd have beaten the crap out of that guy...**

**Anyway, I'm stiff, sore, and tired from herding kids around six flags all day...sorry for the short chapter. :/**

**Love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Demona stepped outside of the caverns the decepticon forces had taken refuge in. Her optics turned towards the sky as the colors turned bright against the growing darkness, shots of orange and yellow around the falling sun.

They cast glowing highlights across the earth, creating soft textures and sharp silhouettes. The light gave way to dark, and she watched as the sun fell away. Her gaze passed over the beauty before her and a hand of dread fisted tightly around her spark.

_Have I ever known anything outside of black skies? Of empty, crumbling cities and silence?_

Demona felt the warmth on her armor fade as night fell upon the land. Stars dotted the sky, like tiny punches of pure light.

_This planet is alive...and life is..._her processor spun out thoughts slowly, split between watching the scene before her and trying to devise some sort of word appropriate for describing life.

_Precious, fragile...rare..._

She shuttered her optics and leaned against the cave wall almost tiredly, thoughts turning bitter, _Weeks ago and I would've shot this planet to the pit if he had said to. I would have killed thousands for his approval..._

_If we turn human technology, everything will become ravaged. Destroyed. Gone. _

_The waters will run with blood, the earth will turn red with it. The air will reek of death..._

_And the life here...will fade and die. _

"Like Cybertron," she whispered out loud. The hand around her spark squeezed.

After witnessing all of the life and energy it held now...the thought of seeing Earth as an empty shell, like her home planet, nearly crushed her. The thought of seeing thousands of broken bodies scattered across it's surface, bleeding their fluids into dirt...cries of fear and pain still on their lips...

All for the sake of creating an army so Megatron could take them and do it all over again, to 'save' Cybertron.

_There is nothing left of Cybertron to save. _

_He will crush the Autobots, will bleed the humans dry. _

_It begins tomorrow._

Her body tensed as a dark image took hold of her processor.

She saw them, their broken, torn bodies in the middle of a wasteland. She saw Alec first, a vertical rip down his chest where a claw had punctured and torn up. His ribs were folded outward, ragged white poking through wet red. His bandaged hands were still clenched, head turned away from her, but from the amount of blood around it she knew she didn't want to see.

Gears was second, laying on her stomach with her arms outstretched like she was clawing her way towards him. The flesh on her back was in ribbons, part of her spine had been pulled free. Tears were still running down her dirtied face, and even in death she kept her gaze on her sparklings, always trying to guard them.

Alex was between the two of them, halfway wrapped around his older brother with his arms tight around his middle. His face was buried in Alec's bloodied shirt. Both of his legs had been torn from his small body.

Optimus and his soldiers rested in pieces that encircled the organic family, dead. Gone.

Fear coursed through her, overwhelmed by a new rage that burned like the sun in her spark. Her hands clenched into fists, and she came back from the vision, casting another look over the land before she turned back into the darkness of the cave.

_I won't let it happen. _

She walked silently through the tall, wide, wet tunnels. Her body tensed as she made her way through the room that held all of the sleeping mechs, scattered around with their optics offline. _It begins tomorrow._

The decepticons had been almost thrilled when Megatron had set the date. Tomorrow, they were to begin their _real_ assualt. The countdown of Earth's destruction and the Autobots' demise had begun. Soon, perhaps in mere days, her dreaded nightmare would come true, and she would lose all she had unkowingly struggled so _hard_ to find.

The sun here, casting light upon a world that would be dark without it.  
>The presence of life when she had been surrounded by nothing but death since the day of her creation.<br>Sound instead of silence.  
>Warmth instead of cold.<p>

_She said I have a place in their family, _she thought painfully, _that I have a home with them...I only have to take that place..._

But Megatron, if allowed to carry out his plans, would take that same place from her.  
>She would lose that home.<br>She would lose that family.

Demona focused her optics on the hulking forms of the mechs, the only obstacles between her and her mech creator.

_He will take it all._

She felt that emotion burning through her body, rushing out of her spark. She straightened her back and felt her battle routines kick on.

_It begins tomorrow..._

Demona felt the bands of red armor around her wrists lift and spin. Her claw blades slid out to their full length, curling around her fists. They gleamed dangerously before her optics, utterly lethal to those on the cave floor at her feet.

_...No. It ends tonight._

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the short chapter guys!<strong>

**Looks like Dem has finally realized that she has found something worth fighting for, and that she is willing to give anything to protect that something...we'll see how that flys with Megatron...**

**Love to my readers! I'll try to get another chapter up later since these last two have been so short!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Unfortunately, Blackout, despite his size, was a slagging fast mech.

His optics onlined the second her blades slid out, reacting to the sound. They searched the room in one sweep and landed on her curiously. In half a second he had registered the look in her eyes and the spinning blades on her wrists, and was up on his feet with a shout, shaking the others out of recharge.

Demona slid into her stance, fists clenched and claw blades flexed. Blackout made to charge at her, but Demona ducked between his pillar-like legs and swung one arm up. He gave a painful, angry cry as they cut through him like he was cheap tin. He hit the ground hard enough to shake the cave, one leg cleanly cut from his body.

The next was one called Barricade, but she downed him even quicker. She plowed through them, some still pushing their systems to wake up from recharge. She had at last settled her sights on Starscream, and sent him a cold smile when Megatron exploded through the wall with a murderous look on his face, "What-"

"Lord Meg-Megatron," Starscream called, taking a step further away from her, but before he could finish the decepticon leader fixed his optics on Demona and let loose a snarl that made her energon run cold. He slammed his foot down and clenched his claws, "_Demona_!"

"Yes, _Father_?" Demona snarled, "Have I _disappointed_ you?"

"You would betray me?" he ground out between his clenched dentals, "after I spared your worthless life?"

"You gave me darkness," Demona whispered, "you gave me silence."

He roared, "_Starscream_!"

The mech almost jumped, but came to his side obediently. But before he could get an order in, Demona's hand pulled back into her arm, breaking into several pieces and folding down to create a cannon. She took quick, careful aim and let loose a shot above their heads, the blast of yellow energy impacting against the cave roof and shattering it. Thick chunks of stone rained down, slamming into the two mechs and denting their armor. She watched as their immense forms collapsed beneath the growing weight.

Demona spared enough time to rush forward and pluck the all-spark from the wreckage before she pushed off into the air and transformed into her aerial alternate form.

Demona shot away, transforming a short ways off when she heard the enraged cry of a certain mech. She perched on the edge of a sheer rocky drop, toe-claws sinking into the stone. She spared a moment to glance down at the precious object in her hand, but an explosion grabbed her attention.

Demona lifted her optics back to the decepticon's temporary base as debris rained down. The massive mech pulled himself out with a snarl, reaching down to grasp the seeker painfully by a wing and haul him out as well.

She shifted a foot back and punched a hole into the rock with a toe to leave a hole big enough to safely deposit the all-spark. She bent to place it carefully inside, brushing some gravel inside to hide it from view. She straightened in time to see a F-22 Raptor come towards her, slicing through the air.

Demona braced herself, broadening her stance as Starscream grew closer. He transformed minutes away and his heavy body slammed into hers. Demona crouched and met him with her elbow. With her other hand she took hold of his arms and threw him over her shoulder, sending him face first into the ground.

To draw him away from the hidden All Spark, she once again transformed and took off. Demona shifted forms when she reached Megatron, dropping out of the sky right over his head.

His sharp claws cut into her armor as he wrapped them around her and yanked her down. Demona slammed her own into his chest, easily finding the spaces between his armor and penetrating through. She locked her toes into him and pushed off his body.

Demona flipped, tearing out of his grasp and landed right-side-up on the ground in front of him. She raised her arms in time to guard herself when he swung for her. She shook down to her frame from the impact. Glaring into his optics, she swore, "I won't let you destroy this planet."

He grinned darkly, "you can't stop me."

She pulled away. Warnings blared through her processor and she turned just in time to see that fragging seeker make a grab for her. Demona took his arm and swung him forward. She plunged her blades into one of his precious wings, ripping them down with the shriek of tearing metals. The severed piece hit the ground with a loud clatter, but it was drowned out by the mech's agonized wail. Demona spun him around like he was a sparkling, and snarled in his face, "I _told_ you I would ground you, Seeker."

She pushed him away and removed the other with a graceful arc, then took him by the arm and swung him as hard as she could into Megatron who was just about to strike again.

He snarled and simply tossed the screaming mech away. Demona faced him. He seemed to hesitate, looking her over, "Give me the cube, Demona, and I will consider letting you live."

"To be used as your tool? Your weapon?" She whispered almost painfully, "Why should that be my purpose!"

The hesitation gave way to anger, "You were created to end this war!"

"I _am_ ending it," Demona told him, swinging forward. Megatron stood his ground, barely moving an inch when she struck him. He clamped his massive, powerful claws around her and squeezed, shoving her body down into the ground, "traitorous, useless, _weak_..."

Demona once again jerked free, only to have a few plates of her new armor pulled from her body. She slid back, optics focused on him.

_I cannot lose. I cannot lose. I cannot lose. _The thought repeated in her processor. _He will crush them all. He will destroy everything here, he will ruin this fragile life. He will destroy everything. _

Demona forced herself to loosen up.

_I must protect it. I must protect..._

Demona lunged forward, putting her strength into her legs as she glided across the earth. She dove beneath him, using her smaller size and the speed that came with it to avoid his hands. She dove beneath his legs like she had Blackout, and then wrapped her claws around the armor of his legs, stripping it away with one swipe. Her free hand she used to puncture the exposed cables and frame. His entire form shook as the damaged limb threatened to give out, but he held his own.

He swept down and caught her, taking hold of one of her horns and yanked it free, making her optics flicker and almost offline from the pain. He placed his other hand around her chest and hauled her into the air. Demona fought the pain and twisted her body in the air, once again forming a blaster on her arm just as he did. He fired a second before she did, and she stared at the oncoming blast in silence, watching as it grew closer.

Demona managed to angle her body before contact, the shot slamming into her side instead of her chest or back. It still hurt like hell when it hit, though, and as she fell back towards the earth she nearly shut down. She hit the ground, a sharp whine coming from her systems, and cried out when his foot came down on her stomach. Megatron leaned over her, claws spread, "_Where is it_, Demona? _Where_ is my cube?"

"I can't..." she struggled to get out, "I _won't_ let you..."

He chuckled darkly, "you are nothing but a tool, Demona, what gives you the idea that you could ever face me?"

"..._not a tool_," she growled, "I won't bend to your will anymore."

"Then I will _break_ you to it."

Megatron reached down towards her chest, towards her spark. He promised, "and I will take those humans of yours...and tear their flesh until they are nothing but piles of bleeding ribbons...I will strip the meat from their bones, starting with that useless female...I'll save the damaged boy for last...they will die screaming in agony..."

Demona's spark exploded with new emotion, driving strength back into her body. The blaring stat reports and alarms cleared from her processor, and suddenly she could see things clearly. More clearly than before.

Memories of that small organic family assaulted her rapidly. She saw each one of the three. Gears, telling her that she was a beautiful creation, that she was no weapon but a protector. Alex saying he loved her as if it were the most obvious, right thing in the world. Alec telling her that he was the protector of his family, and that he hoped she found something worth fighting for.

When she fixed her optics on Megatron's, the light in his stare seemed to fade, as if he were seeing something that actually disturbed him. Demona lowered her tone, voice steady, "_Don't threaten my family._"

Her blades flashed forward and cut through his claws, the sparking fingers falling towards the ground. He reeled back with a roar. Demona pulled one of her legs out from under him and gave him a good kick to the chest, knocking him back. She climbed to her feet and had just enough time to duck again.

Demona slid underneath him and stabbed through his knee, breaking through the armor to penetrate the joint. He went down on one leg, turning at the waist to glare down at her. She jumped up his back to land on his shoulders. She leaned down, wrapping her blades around his throat, and whispered, "_look at me_, Megatron. _Look at your creation_, and _see_ what she's become. Am I that weapon, that decepticon, you dreamed of?"

She cut through one of the cables and then swept at his whole hand when he made a grab for her, leaving deep gouges in his armor. She used her other hand to plunge into his body between the plates on his shoulder, "Tell me, _father_, are you _proud_?"

She pulled both hands away and flipped off of his body when, again, he reached for her. She landed on his side, spun, and sliced deep into him. She was rolling out of reach to attack his left when that fragging seeker sent up a shout, "Lord M-Megatron! The Cube!"

Demona froze, processor stuttering as the cry reached her. She distantly noted the half severed hand flying towards her as the weight of the situation hit her.

Demona snarled when he broke into her chest armor, broken claws wrapping around her spark chamber. He told her, "_you betrayed me_, Demona..."

Demona lashed out, cutting the hand completely off at the wrist. He seemed to expect it this time and had formed a lethal blade out of his other that crashed down on her arm, severing it almost effortlessly.

Optics dimming, Demona tried to move back to retaliate, but he came at her too fast. He closed that deadly hand around her head and squeezed. Demona forced down the agonized screams that fought to be released. She felt the joints on her jaws pop and her helm began to give. Her last horn bent with a low shriek.

_I'm sorry...Alex...I can't come back..._

Her body was beginning to shut down when he let go. Demona crumbled in the dirt like a broken doll, curled at his feet. Her optics flashed on and off, but remained lit as she focused on a familiar line of colorful mechs.

Megatron snarled above her, cursing viciously in their native language. At the same moment, Starscream crawled his way to them, cradling something to his chest like it was the most delicate thing in the universe...in a way, it was.

Demona stared at Optimus, who had lowered his optics to her and tensed with fury upon seeing her condition. He took a step forward but froze when Megatron's claws appeared around her chest again, easing towards her bare spark chamber.

But Demona wasn't paying attention anymore. She didn't see Megatron or feel the danger of the situation she was in.

She wasn't there anymore, because her optics fell upon a tiny red headed organic that stood ahead of a group of men in uniform. Demona stared at the woman, optics softening despite her strained spark. The woman stared back, tears glistening in her eyes. Demona watched as she opened up her arms slowly, and mouthed the words, 'come home'.

Megatron chuckled, and said, voice low, "I will start destroying this pitiful race with_ her_."

New instinct took over Demona's body. Before she could process it, she wrapped her claws around Megatron's hand and actually _pushed_ it into her spark.

Agony exploded through her, crippling her. She shuttered her optics, body screaming. She knew it was a fatal move, but it was the only one she could make. She felt her processor slow down to a frighteningly slow pace. Her spark pulsed weakly, shining and fading...fading and shining...

But the ground shuddered beside her as Megatron collapsed, claws removed from her to clutch at his own struggling spark. Demona couldn't stop the small, triumphant smile as she realized that her_ fragging crazy_ idea had worked.

He was still open to the creator bond. He would feel it like his own death when she offlined. It seemed as if he had forgotten, though, because a look of utter confusion crossed his features. His optics shot down to Demona as she rolled closer, trying to piece together just what was happening. His shocked gaze followed her as she stretched her last arm out towards the seeker and grabbed the hand he was holding out to Megatron.

The all spark tumbled out and landed in the dirt. Megatron reached for it, but she swiped down and grasped it once again. She whispered, staring up at him, "I'll see you in the pit, _father_."

Then, using the last of her strength, she hauled herself up and leaped up to him, locking her toe claws into his armor and slicing through. She raised her cube and slammed it down into the damaged armor of his chest.

As if his spark was drawn to it, the plates of armor finished parting back and the cube actually lifted out of her palm and towards it. Megatron's entire body convulsed, he grasped air weakly, his optics dimming. His hand fell upon her head again, tring to crush but he no longer had the strength to. Demona felt it through her side of the bond. She felt it when his spark _finally_ died.

His body fell backwards. Demona unlocked her toes but didn't remove herself. He fell to the earth, and she with him. Her sight became blurred, but she could still see the soft rays of light breaking through the darkness of the night sky. She caught the first rays of the sun, casting color over a dark world...  
>And she felt peace inside of her. <em>This<em> was worth fighting for.

Her optics offlined as she heard the woman scream for her. The black hands of offlining reached for Demona through the bond, and her frame shook as she felt his searing pain. The fingers wrapped around her spark, crushing it beneath it's weight.  
><em>You didn't think I was ready to give my life for them...You didn't think you're precious creation could ever change...you were wrong.<em>

Large hands lifted her minutes after, but she could hardly feel them. She was too far gone..._You can't save me this time, Prime. Just leave me here..._

She had just enough strength to breath the words, "_forgive me..."_

Then_ nothing.  
><em>No light reached her there, no sound.

Everything fell away.

* * *

><p><strong>...damn. X.X<strong>

**Sorry if it sounds a bit strained or if words were being repeated too much...ugh. I wanted to make her side of the battle more epic, but at the same time it wouldn't honestly be realistic...there's no way you can go up against fragging Megatron and not come out with _some_ injuries_. _Demona's crazy-strong...but even she can't take on her dad and come out without a scratch.**

**I love what she did to Starscream though. The Doucher needed it...**

**Anyway, I'm afraid to say that the story is reaching it's end...(you've got like a few more chapters left...) :( Sorry, guys...**

**Love my readers. :) **

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not. **


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Gears hit the ground.

She fell to her knees and bent forward, all strength gone from her body. She raised her hands to her hair and pulled, _hard_, as if that would wake her from this hell-spawned nightmare.

She felt a strong hand on her shoulder, the shift of gravel around her as someone knelt down behind her.

"no, no, no, no," Gears whispered. _It's just a dream. It's just a fucking, __twisted__ dream. She's not gone. I didn't just see her eyes die. I didn't just see her sacrifice herself. No. No. No. No. No. not her. Not her. Not any of my kids...please, God, don't..._

But she had _seen_ it. She had seen it with her own eyes.

Demona had been caught in Megatron's grasp, his hand clenching around her head and squeezing mercilessly. Gears had watched her fall when he released her. Gears had watched her girl turn her flickering, fading eyes towards them. They had tiredly swept down their line, but once they fell upon her they had stopped and focused, as if her presence alone had made everything okay. As if...she would make everything go away...

Gears had noticed something strange about her, outside of her wounds and the fact that part of her face and a horn was missing. Her eyes hadn't been that same breath-taking, beautiful crimson.

They glowed white, a pure, unstained white that reminded her of angels; Guardian Angel wings spread in fierce, radiant strength. Perfect. Beautiful. And as Gears watched, they had seemed to clear, and fill with some sort of strength and peace. The kind that came from knowing what your place was, knowing who you loved, and understanding that you'd readily give your heart and soul to keep them safe.

And Gears had known, then, that Demona wasn't going to come out of this one. She had to try though. So she opened her arms, her mind and heart begging for the robot to get back up and come to her to scoop her up in those big, gentle hands. With tears in her eyes, she had told her, "come home."

It felt like that evil metal bastard that had done this to Demona had reached a claw in and tore out her heart, the pain doubling as Gears' tortured mind scrolled through the memories of what she had just witnessed. Some of the ugliest horrors she had faced...what creature, no matter what they were, could viciously destroy their young? What creature could harbor so much evil?

_You're not gone...you can't be gone...get...get up...GET UP!_

Gears leaned back this time, dragging her hands down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face towards the rising sun. She bared her clenched teeth. Almost like an unwanted ghost, Demona's promise to her baby echoed through her mind...

_"Alex, I will __always__ come back to you. No force could keep me from returning."_

She sucked in a ragged breath, and screamed.

The man behind her took her in his arms and squeezed her tight, but offered no words of comfort.

_YOU LIED TO HIM! _

She slammed her clenched fists into the rocky ground beneath them, splitting open her skin from the force.

_...you lied to me..._

Ratchet and Prime led the autobot faction in their rush to get to the fallen girl, dropping down to her side. Gears forced herself to watch as both males stopped and went rigid, seeing the damage up close. Ratchet bowed his head and actually covered his face with a large hand while Optimus lowered a hand to press carefully over Demona's unlit eyes. Jazz seemed to drop, all of that usual spunk gone in a flash. Ironhide was trembling, but whether it was with fury or tears, she didn't know. Bumblebee knelt down on her other side, blocking her from view, and leaned over her carefully.

_No...no...no...no...no...you're supposed to come home with us...you're supposed to be a part of our family...you're supposed to be my kid...you're supposed to be my daughter..._

_...not dead. _

_"_You were supposed to live, dammit..." she whispered, bowing her body until she was a crumpled heap, "you were supposed to be..."

"DAMMIT, DEMONA!" she shouted, "YOU FUCKING LEFT US! You...you...you left me..."

_I just found you...and now..._

Gears forced herself up. She stood on shaking legs, pulling away out of the soldier's hands when he tried to pull her back.

She staggered and stumbled her way over, feeling oddly numb. The mechs fell silent when she came close. Gears managed to make it to the worst side of Demona's face before she collapsed again, leaning the front half of her body over her. She pulled her arms in around her face and let out a strangled sob that had her throat clenching.

"please, Dem, baby," she whispered, "get up...don't give up on me...don't give up on Alex...or Alec..."

She turned her face into the still warm alloys, "...you promised you'd come back for us...don't break it..._please_..."

She lifted her face to gaze at the empty, unlit eyes. No answer came back. No empty threat or soft spoken, honest reply. No brightening of the eyes, no small smile or gentle expression. Gears stared, utterly broken.

Her fists uncurled and she, as if she were touching the most beautiful, sacred creature on the face of the planet, gently splayed her fingers over the ragged metals. Gears told her, "you remember that day...when you woke up from crash landing in my yard? You...you said...that I wasn't afraid of you...like it shocked you...I knew it...I knew that you'd become something...I knew you weren't evil, or crazy...I just knew..."

"Dammit, you just...you just found out who you are...you're not...you're not supposed to be dead...you've found a new life...you should be free to live it..."

_PLEASE get up! Please light up your eyes, take a breath, glare, threaten-__SOMETHING!_

"just _speak_ to me..." she pleaded, "just _one_ word..."

Gears gave a weak, shaky smile that wasn't genuine, "I'll even let you call me 'fleshling', or 'fragging red headed woman'."

Silence.

Cold, dead, empty silence.

Gears waited still, watching her eyes in case they flickered. But nothing happened, and as it continued to sink in, Gears let her body lean back down over her cheek. She buried her face in the planes and details.

"you're supposed to live."

Gears fell silent, losing herself in her grieving. Above her, Optimus finally said, sounding old and tired, "We will take her back to base...we'll repair her body and give her a proper burial."

One of them, Optimus she was guessing, gently wrapped his fingers around her and lifted her. Gears didn't struggle. She didn't cling to him in case he happened to drop her. She just fell into his palm when he turned it right side up, and laid there, staring out at nothing.

Somehow, when he transformed, she ended up in his cab. Ironhide and Ratchet lifting Demona's broken body and carefully arranged her on some random trailer that was hooked up to Prime's truck mode.

Gears sunk into the floorboards, completely lost.

_What do I tell Alex...?_

Hours later of just laying there, trying to get her mind to work and eventually giving up, they arrived back at Hoover Dam.

Naturally, the boy and girl, Sam and Mikaela, were present. Alec was trying to hold on to a bouncing Alex, who fell still almost immediately when Gears picked herself up and slid out of the cab.

Alec's face turned from shocked to agonized as he put the pieces together, saddened green eyes falling upon the red and black hand that had fallen from under the tarp on the trailer.

Gears pushed a hand tiredly through her hair as Alex cried, "Demona? Demona!"

His voice was panicked, and he strained against his brother towards his best friend. He shot a wide-eyed look at her, "Momma! Why isn't she awake? Why isn't she talking to me?"

Gears walked towards them and took her youngest in her arms and started to walk away, but he broke free from her with a surprising amount of strength. He hit the floor with an 'oomph' and took off before she could grab him. Alec sent her a soft look before taking after him for her.

Alex leaned up as far as he could without using his legs and wrapped his little bitty hands around a scratched finger. He almost jerked back when he realized how cold she was, and his eyes widened even more. He swung his eyes around wildly, looking for someone to confront, and his gaze fell upon a newly transformed Ironhide, "Why is she so cold? Why isn't she moving?"

He then turned back to Demona's corpse before the big bot could get an answer put together, "Demona! Wake up! Talk to me!"

Silence answered him. Alec dropped down beside him and wrapped his arms around him, "Alex, c'mon..."

"_NO_!" The boy shouted, big tears running down his face now, "Not until she wakes up!"

"Kid," someone said, drawing his attention, "she ain't gonna wake up. She's gone."

Gears' baby just stared at the saddened soldier in silence before he slowly turned back to look at Demona. Gears started to make her way over, forcing herself to think for the sake of her kids.

"no..." Alex denied, voice rising, "She's not dead! She's gonna wake up! _You'll see_! She _promised_ me she'd come back! She _promised_! Demona, you _promised_!"

This time he raised his fist and hit the hand, "Demona! Talk to me! _Wake up!_"

Alec pulled him in close, ignoring the way how the younger fought against him. Gears fell next to them, leaning against Alec and wrapping her arm around them. Gears closed her eyes, letting more tears go as Alex broke down there in their arms, screaming in pain and anger. Alec pulled them both to him and buried his face in her neck, seeking comfort in such a way for the first time in years.

And Gears gave it to him, gently stroking his broad shoulders. Her blank eyes turned to fix on Demona. She remembered the way her white-not red-eyes had fixated on her when she was on the verge of death, seeking strength out in _her_, of all those present. The way how those eyes had filled with a sudden understanding, a new clarity...

_I love you, Angel...please remember us..._

* * *

><p><strong>MY GAWD I was on the verge of bawling while writing this one...It's <em>horrible<em>...ugh...**

**And yep, instead of turning purple or a brighter red when she's fighting for her family, Demona's eyes turn white. :) Like "angel wings". **

**anyway, last one for tonight, I promise! :) **

**Love to my readers...I'm going to go cry myself to sleep now...**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story all belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Gears knelt in Demona's remaining palm. There were tears and dents, but none were dangerous to her.

She spread her fingers over the pads, slipping them between the spaces like she had seen Alex do before.

She didn't cry because she had shed all of her tears. She had managed to cry more in the weeks spent here in Hoover Dam than her entire life.

Now Gears just felt empty.

She listened distantly to Ratchet work, reattaching Demona's severed arm.

Alec had taken Alex as far away from the med bay as he could after the boy had completely broke down. At first, Gears had gone with them, but then Alex had turned to her and demanded that she go back and wake Demona up. He told her to go be there for her, to 'make her better'.

So she had.

"Hows...Hows Optimus doing?" She asked quietly. Despite the torment inside her, she was still worried about the big guy.

_See how many hearts you broke when you left us, Dem?_

"...He..." Ratchet stopped and sighed, gripping the edge of the berth and leaning his weight on his arms. He seemed to stare blankly down at Demona, "He will live...He's..."

"Hurting," Gears finished. She watched him as he nodded. He closed his eyes when Gears continued, "how are you taking this...?"

He vented, "she's the first youngling we've had since Bumblebee...and she's one of the last femmes...she means something to all of us...more so now because she's had such a strong change of spark...We have all seen so much death come out of this war..."

Gears nodded slowly, and uneasily climbed back down from Demona's open hand. She picked her way up Demona's arm until she was on her chest. Miraculously, that special, comfortable spot she had was undamaged, and it was calling to her.

"And you...?" Ratchet pushed softly, his sad blue eyes on her. Gears didn't look at him, "she was one of my kids, Ratchet...I loved her like she was my daughter...no mother dreams of burying their babies..."

She nearly slipped and fell, but his hand was there in a flash, steadying her. Gears patted him lightly in thanks and then curled up in her spot. She sunk into the familiar curve and the warmth there, letting herself fall back into her memories...

...until something hit her.

Gears' green eyes snapped open, wide. She froze, as if movement would shatter the new hope soaring through her.

She was_ warm. _Not_ cold..._

Gears made herself raise her eyes. She caught Ratchet giving her a strange look, and since his hand was still in reach, she took hold of it, sliding out of the spot, and guided him towards it. She pressed his fingertips into the little hole, the confused look still plastered on his face.

She watched as his eyes widened, his body going rigid. Gears whispered, "is she...?"

"..._Impossible_..."

He carefully lifted Gears and placed her back in the spot before he leaned over her body and pulled back Demona's chest armor, squinting at her spark.

They both waited, leaning forward.

_C'mon, baby, _Gears thought, _please...light..._

seconds passed, turning into minutes. Ratchet was starting to lean back with a defeated look when a soft light red glow emitted from the repaired spark chamber, lighting faintly for a short second before fading.

"Demona...she's..." Gears whispered, she raised her eyes to Ratchet. His eyes were about as wide and round as they could possibly get.

Gears couldn't stop the choked laughter that left her throat, "She's alive, Ratchet!"

She looked up at him to see that same shocked look on his face, so she scowled and smacked his hand, snapping him to attention, "_Do_ something! Stabilize her before we lose her!"

The medic kicked into action, abandoning his current work on her arm to start around her spark. Gears removed herself so he had more room, and knelt beside the Demona's head, laying her face against her cheek plates. She smiled weakly, "hang in there, Dem..."

"_how in the pits_ did she survive?" he said quietly in disbelief, "_what_ could _possibly_ give her that strength?"

"We'll have to ask her when she wakes up," Gears answered, "just shut up and_ work_!"

He shot her a look but did as told, hands moving so fast they were a blur. Hours later of nonstop motion and he finally slowed. Gears had watched the entire time, easily fighting exhaustion for the sake of seeing her wake up.

He looked tired, "this is all I can do for her...I've alerted Optimus, he's on his way."

Gears waited in silence, eyes locked on Demona's, waiting for them to light or something. It was then that something odd occurred to her, something she should have noticed before. She managed to pull her gaze away and look up at Ratchet, "when...when she sacrificed herself, it was like she had struck Megatron in the same place..."

He nodded, "she used her creation-creator bond to disable him long enough to get the all spark. It's an open link between the two, he suffered the fatal wounds as well, and when she put the all spark in his chest, she felt his death...the bond was how he 'punished' her when she woke up here after Mission City."

"so the bond did this to her...could a bond..._save_ her?"

He vented again, "yes. If one was to make the bond and let her lean on their spark, she would have what she needed to stabilize..."

Gears sent him a pointed look, raising an eyebrow. He blinked at her, then finished, "but it can only be made with a sparkmate or someone that belongs to her 'bloodlines', as you humans would put it, to create a new parent bond."

Again, Gears gave him the same look. She waited and watched as he stared back. She saw it when he put the pieces together in that big head of his. He said quietly, "...Prime."

The said mech stepped into the room, tired but hopeful. He was at their side in half a second, eyes scanning down Demona's form. He looked up at Ratchet when he pressed a hand to his shoulder. Gears drowned them out as Ratchet gently explained the situation to him. She stared back down at Demona and ran a hand over her bent horn.

"...what do I do?"

Gears looked up, seeing a mix of emotions on his face. There was confusion, disbelief, understanding, hope, and fear. He seemed to lose that piece of him that made him such a powerful leader. Ratchet answered, "just reach out for her spark, and pray to Primus she reaches back."

Optimus lowered his eyes from Ratchet to fix on Demona. His huge hand landed over her black eyes again.

Gears watched as his gaze dimmed, attention elsewhere.

Gears turned to Demona's spark. _Hoping. Praying. Cursing. _

_C'mon, Angel...light for me...come back to us...come back, Demona..._

* * *

><p><strong>Hah! :D Like I would kill off one of the best characters that's ever come from my mad imagination...nah, I love her too much...Besides, she just found herself a family...it'd suck if she lost it...<strong>

**And yes, Prime is officially pulling the cybertronian equivalent of adoption. :3 isn't that sweet? What an awesome uncle. ****And good girl, Dem, you hung on. if there's one thing your creator gave you it was the knack for weaseling your way out of death. :D **

**Oh, and I might possibly, maybe, perhaps have a sequel to the Guardian in mind...depends, though...**

**Sorry if anyones OC. **

**Love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

_Empty._

_Cold._

_Distant._

_Lost._

_Numb._

_Dark._

_Silent._

She was gone.

The blackness around her was still and chilled. No warmth reached her, no sound. She was neither standing or laying, just there, suspended in the blackest shadows she had ever faced. It was torture, and for a moment she wondered if _this_ was The Pit.

Eternal darkness and silence was the worst punishment she could think of...

..._so empty..._

She tried to move, but she didn't have the strength to. She felt as though her spark had been seared right out of her chest. Gone. Dead.

_I'm dead._

There was nothing left of her. She was no more.

So she waited there, in that blackened, frozen hell, until she completely faded away...

but a sudden urge to fight coursed through her. She felt a shot of fire that burned at her core, buried deep beneath the numbing cold and bitter emptiness.

_What do you fight for? What are you protecting? _

She grabbed for an answer, but nothing was working. She couldn't think, couldn't feel. _...empty...alone..._

_so alone..._

The fire was still there, flickering and dancing. It pushed her to move, to act. It told her to fight.

_You have a place. _

_...where?_

She held on, struggling against the darkness. She fought.

_Home...a place...a family..._

Something brushed against her, soft and hesitant, as if it was uncertain. It was a kind touch, something that tugged at her blackened spark, coaxing. For that second of contact, she felt a deep peace, a love and gentleness she had never known before. She tried to decipher it's meaning...why now, when she was offlining? Why it...why not the harsh pulls her creator would send her?

_...trying to make a..._

It came back when she didn't respond, wrapping around her spark like a giant hand. She half expected him to crush her, but the other part of her trusted him completely...and to her mild surprise, he only squeezed lightly, trying to draw her out. Trying to get a reply.

_...bond...create a...bond..._

As if he could sense her realization, he tightened his hold the slightest in a reassuring manner, and this time, he didn't pull back. He held on.

_...trying to reach, trying to save..._

"who are you?" Her voice was soft, broken, different from the way she remembered. No answer echoed back. He was still there, though, waiting for her, so she summoned whatever strength she could find, and reached back.

The shadows seemed to clamp down around her, trying their hardest to stop her. She managed to push through them, leaving it behind. She stretched out as far as she could, until she could see the lit brilliance of his spark, and hesitated for a mere moment before she lightly wrapped around it.

A new link between them burned open, connecting their sparks in a blinding flash. Light chased away the darkness, and a wave of pure strength coursed through it, filling her and driving away all of the weakness and cold. His hold tightened around her, determined to pull her from death.

_'Come back to us, Demona. Take what you need from me, and live.'_

_...Prime. Of course._

She didn't have to take anything, because he had already given her more than enough. Soon, she came rushing back to life, feeling the stinging ache of wounds. She welcomed the pain for the first time in her life.

Her body tensed, remaining hand clenching.

"she's...Is she okay? She looks like shes..."

The autobot leader's tone rumbled above, sounding utterly relieved, "she's onlining."

"Already?"

"Stay close, Optimus," the medic said, tone soft, "until the bond is stronger, you'll need to be near her for her to use your strength."

"I'm fine with that, Ratchet," he replied as she felt her systems start up. The hand on her face shifted back to glide over her horn. Her processor sluggishly began to spin out thoughts and stat reports. "anything to keep her online."

A soft warmth filled her spark, and she hesitantly reached back towards him through the bond, opening herself to him so he could feel her gratitude. He stiffened nearby, but addressed her out loud, "your welcome, young one."

"Demona, sweetie?"

Small, tiny hands pressed against her cheek plates. Her optics onlined, meeting Prime's first. She felt her gaze soften, "you're saving me."

He said nothing, just simply gazed back down. She turned her head to fix her sights on Gears, taking time to just_ look_ at her. She had resigned herself to her fate in the battle, and had horribly regretted not telling Gears how much she and her sparklings meant to her. Now she had her chance.

Gears smiled tiredly, but it was a genuine smile that shown in her eyes. She dropped her voice, "how are you feeling, Demona?"

_Whole. Found. Alive. Peaceful. _

But all she said was, also dropping her cracking voice, "I'm home."

And she watched as the woman's smile grew.

* * *

><p><strong>:)<strong>

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

There was a moment when Gears thought that they had failed.

She had watched, frozen with wide, hopeful eyes as Prime rested his hand over Demona's eyes, the way how his own dimmed as he reached deep inside himself to make this so-called 'bond'. Ratchet stood ready beside his leader, gaze cast down and focused on Demona's dying spark, watching, waiting...hoping that it would light up like the sun with life.

They had both jumped when Prime abruptly tensed, his fingers curling almost gently around Demona's face. When Ratchet leaned forward, the larger raised his other hand a few feet in the air in a 'it's fine' gesture.

It seemed as though hours had passed.

Gears finally tore her eyes away from Demona's covered eyes to stare up at Prime, forcing herself to keep her mouth shut. _Why isn't she responding? Why...why is it taking so long?_

"I can feel her fighting," he said softly, shocking the both of them, "she's struggling against offlining still...she was afraid of me...but she's trying to reach back now..."

"Why is it taking so long?" Gears whispered.

"Because she's mostly gone," he answered, eyes darkening even more, "her mind and her body has completely offlined...the only thing keeping her here with us is her spark...it's still trying to guard something, it's still trying to fight...but her strength is fading..."

Gears stood up straight and leaned over torn, ravaged pieces of armor to stare at her spark, "C'mon, baby...you can make it...come home to me...come home..."

Optimus' body went rigid above her. Her eyes shot up in time to see him lean forward and shut his optics, raised hand lowering to the berth to grip it for support. Her eyes flew back to the dark spark, and widened when she saw it suddenly come to life with a brilliant red light.

Gears' breath left her as the spark-which looked like a radiant red star- began to spin rapidly in it's casing, sending out waves of heat as it worked double time to get everything back up.

Gears listened as systems kicked on inside with a soft whine. The still body tensed on the berth, her only hand clenching weakly at her side. Gears raked her green eyes down the girl's body, seeing the legs pull tight, claws spreading and curling. The bands around her wrist spun and for a minute Gears was afraid her blades would slip out, but they stayed hidden.

Prime lifted his hand from Demona's face and gently ran it down her remaining horn. She said, worried, "she's...is she okay? She looks like she's..."

He had a tired expression, but it was soft and warm, and his voice was relieved, "she's onlining."

Her eyes widened. _...onlining...she's waking up..._ "Already?"

Ratchet lifted his hand over her spark, as if to feel the warmth radiating from it. His gaze was gentle, "Stay close, Optimus. Until the bond is stronger, she'll need you to be near her for her to use your strength."

"I'm fine with that Ratchet," the taller said honestly, never taking his eyes off Demona's, waiting for them to light, "anything to keep her online."

_You are one __badass__ uncle._

He stiffened, and after a moment of confusion, his expression once again turned back into one of love, "your welcome, young one."

Gears tried, desperate to see those beautiful eyes, "Demona, sweetie?" She made her way closer, pressing her hands against her face. Her heart skipped a beat when she finally opened her eyes, and held her breath when she realized what color they were.

_White. White like an angel._

But as they focused on Prime, the pure hue faded back into the familiar crimson, and she said, voice barely above a whisper, "you're saving me."

Optimus said nothing, content with watching the life and emotion play through her gaze. She then turned her head to look at Gears. Gears smiled at her, running her fingers down her damaged cheek plates, "how are you feeling Demona?"

And all of the painful waiting, the fear, the uncertainty, died inside when her newest child answered, also dropping her tone, "I'm home."

Gears felt her smile widened, and she completely closed the distance between them, leaning against her face and spreading her arms over her cheek like Alex had done only days before. She whispered, feeling more tears run down her face, "welcome back...we've missed you."

Demona closed her eyes again, but Gears knew she was still awake. She told her, "Alex thinks you're dead...he hasn't been...he's been lost without you...I have too..."

"I'm here now," Demona answered, "I came back."

...and the happy feelings gave way to something worse.

"...and if you ever scare me like that again, I'll weld your alloyed ass to this damn table!" she snapped, "I swear, you attract destruction and danger like a planet-sized magnet!"

Demona looked confused while the two males in the room both took on amused expressions. Gears pulled away, throwing her arms up in the air, "Do you realize how horrible it was, sitting there at your side and knowing that your beautiful eyes would never light again? After I and my boys adopted you into our family and were ready to take you in and love you-Dammit, Demona! You had us all thinking that you were dead or offlined or whatever!"

She stopped short when Demona said, "thank you."

"Thank me...for what? And don't think you're getting out of this 'talk'-there's a storm coming, and I-..."

"for believing," Demona said quietly, "even when everything else fell apart in my hands...you were there..."

Gears blinked at her, the anger draining out of her. "That's what a mommas for, babe."

Demona's expression turned almost painful, "I've never had a mother."

"You do now, whether you like it or not," Gears pointed a finger at her, "and no force in this universe can tear me away from you, so sorry kid. Can't get rid of me."

And those red eyes seemed to smile at her. Demona spoke, her voice so low it was almost difficult for her to catch, "I'm fine with that."

* * *

><p><strong>:3 AWWWWWWW Gears and Demona are reunited! :D And she asserted herself as Demona's momma. XD<strong>

**Anyway...will probably have another chapter up tonight. It's one of those days where everything is just flowing like crazy...We'll see how those boys react when they see Demona alive and well! And hopefully I can squeeze a little uncle-niece bonding in there between her and Prime...no promises though. **

**Love to my readers! And holy crap! _ 100 reviews_! Damn, guys! You are so amazing, I know I've said it before, but it just doesn't do you justice! Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and keeping up with _The Guardian_! Here, each of you gets a cookie...*hands out cookies***

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not. **


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Repairs went quicker than before.

She knew a lot of it had to do with the fact that, compared to the Mission City incident, the damage she'd acquired in her battle wasn't nearly as catastrophic. The only problems were the missing half of her helm and the damage done to her spark and her missing arm. But Ratchet had already completed her spark chamber, since it was the most crucial, and had just now reattached her missing arm.

She was sitting up now, with him standing in front of her as he guided her through a set of motions to test her new arm. She held the restored limb in front of her and wordlessly followed every command, deploying and then retracting her claw blades, repeating the process but spinning them before she sheathed them again.

Demona raised her eyes to him when they finished, "I've never had a medic tend to me before. I've always had to take care of my own injuries. But thank you."

A quick flash of anger, but it was gone in an instant as he pushed gently, "why?"

"Megatron wanted me to stay hidden," Demona answered, lowering her hand to rest on the berth, "a veiled threat...the only one allowed to see me was him and him alone."

The medic grumbled something darkly, turning away to rearrange his set of tools, ones too big or complex to build into his hands. She turned her gaze towards Optimus, sensing his question through their bond before he spoke it. _He's so awkward..._she noted as he tensed slightly, feeling her slight curiosity through the bond, _He's never made a bond before...he's new to it..._

Really, Demona wasn't so different.

She was used to Megatron, who, if he caught the faintest curl of fear or pain, would automatically slam into her spark and punish her for her weakness. She was used to submitting, to letting the opposite end take control and force dark thoughts or snarling reprimands into her spark. She was used to someone feeding her hate and darkness.

But Prime...

He was the complete opposite.

If he felt a ghost of pain from her, he opened himself to her and let her lean on him until it passed, even if he seemed hesitant. He had used the bond only a few times after creating it to ask her personal questions or to tell her something important. The fact that he was her 'uncle', for example. She knew he had to have some kind of tie to Megatron, but to have one so close shocked her. If prime was Megatron's brother, then _what the slag_ had happened to twist her mech creator _so badly_?

He fed her strength, and comfort. He was trying his hardest to make fragging sure she would make it, no questions asked. Instead of warping her with a dark influence, he was kind, and gentle. And he didn't, or didn't know how, to hide his sense of guardianship over her.

He was ready to protect her.

The thought made her warm on the inside, and she once again wondered at how mad her life had been, spiraling into a black hole only to have light shed upon her world by what was supposed to be her enemies. These autobots had pulled her from the wreckage of battles, inside and out. They had taken her in, and healed her.

_Like that fragging organic family..._ She let a small smile show on her face, and gently reached out through the bond to touch his spark, _'what is it?'_

She didn't miss the amused glance Ratchet tossed at his leader when he almost jumped. Prime sent his medic a slightly sheepish look before fixing his bright blue eyes on her, _'do you remember your femme creator's designation?'_

She felt him recoil slightly when a pain lanced through her spark. She gentled her gaze, reigning it in, _'No. I've never known it. The hour I was created, Megatron killed her for birthing a femme. She had enough time to form the bond before she was gone.'_

She felt a shock of anger and pain curl around his spark, so she reached back towards him and imagined wrapping her hands carefully around that pain and anger, shielding him from it. He tensed again, but his optics stayed fixed on her's. _'I regret that I did not find you sooner.'_

_'you've done more than enough,'_ she argued lightly, waiting for the negative feelings to fade from him before she pulled back, _'you're saving my life, when I once tried to take yours. You pulled me from the destruction in Mission City before you knew who I was...and now you've opened yourself to me in a bond...'_

Painfully honest, his strained words reached back for her, tugging lightly at her, _'you were different...you weren't like him, and I have lost so many in this war...I had just found you...I couldn't lose you as well...you're so young...'_

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised out loud. He held her gaze. She smiled again when he reached through and squeezed her spark carefully before completely retreating.

Demona turned her red optics away from him to land on the missing side of her helm on the other berth across the room. Ratchet was nearly finished with it, and soon she would have it back. Dark pain encased her when she spotted the scratched, broken decepticon symbol.

_I was never one of them. Never will be._

Demona turned her attention to Gears when she walked into the room, hands pushing through her red hair. She asked the human, "have you told them yet?"

Gears sent her a wide grin, one that was becoming common, "Nope, want it to be a surprise. As soon as Ratchet puts you back together we're taking a stroll to go see them. Alex is going to go crazy when he sees you upright and walking around."

Ratchet sent her a sharp look, "don't put ideas in her head."

Gears shrugged at him, "what? She's a tough girl, she can take it."

Demona looked between the two, then focused on Gears again when she walked up the wooden steps to her berth. The woman reached her and hopped up on her leg, getting comfortable and leaning back so that she was laying down. Gears blinked up at her, "how are you feeling?"

"Better," Demona answered, "stronger than I have in a very long time."

Gears sent Prime a grateful look, "you've got a good uncle, Dem. He's going to take care of you..."

_I know._

"...you're lucky you've got such an _awesome_ family, with such a sweet uncle and adorable brothers and an amazing, cool mom..."

Gears grinned when Demona let out a soft laugh. She continued, "So you better make damn sure you cherish every moment you have with us."

Demona fell quiet, staring down at her.

_I already do._

* * *

><p><strong>:D Sorry, couldn't squeeze the boys in this one...but I did get a little convo between her and Prime in there...it seems awkward, but I wanted it to be, considering, in this story, Prime has never made a bond of any kind before and he sees her as more of his child now than just some youngling...<strong>

**Love to my readers!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belong to me. Transformers does not. **


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

"Momma..." Alex said quietly, limp in his brother's arms, who had slapped a concerned, pained look on his face since they had seen Demona's body come in.

Gears slammed down on the urge to tell them about her little surprise as she reached them. She opened her arms and Alec transferred his little brother to her. Her heart broke when the boy didn't struggle or try to get to her quicker. He only leaned against her and loosely looped an arm around her neck. He buried his face into her chest, "Momma, I miss her..."

"I know, baby," Gears said softly.

"I really love her..."

"Me too," Gears agreed. She squeezed her baby lightly before slipping a hand around Alec's arm, "come with me...I have a surprise for you."

"I don't want any surprises if I can't share them..." he argued quietly, "Momma...why couldn't we save her? She's supposed to be so strong...She's supposed to come back and be in our family..."

Gears kissed him on the head, taking her heart-broken family out of the room to lead them down the long hallways. Alec reached over and gently ruffled Alex's hair, "she's still watching over us, Alex...from the stars. She's still here."

"But I want her here..." Alex whispered, tightening his hold on Gears, "maybe if she comes to visit...maybe if I tell her that I love her, she'll stay...she won't go away again..."

Gears took them to a larger area, one that was big enough for the autobots to walk around in without having to stoop. She cast her eyes around, spotting a few of the said bots floating around, trying to find something to do. A couple of humans wandered aimlessly, some soldiers, Sam and Mikaela were among them, arguing with one of the ones in charge about going home.

Gears turned her front towards the doorway after they had made their way in so her baby couldn't see. She felt Alec go rigid beside her in shock though, and smiled as his hand landed on hers, squeezing.

Demona stepped inside, completely whole with her restored rose-red armor gleaming beneath the artificial lighting. Her bright red eyes softened as they fell upon Gears and her boys. Gears smiled up at her, stroking Alex's back softly.

Optimus wasn't too far behind, and came to stand beside her. He cast her a look to make sure she was okay before he lowered his gaze to the family of three.

Gears glanced at Alec, seeing a sweet smile on his face, the pain and worry gone. He turned his eyes away from their newest family member, and leaned closer to Alex, whispering in his ear, "tell her now, Alex. You can tell her now."

The little boy tensed, the hint sinking in. He slowly pulled away from her and turned, almost as if he was afraid to see, and settled painfully sad eyes on her. Gears ran a hand through his hair gently, "she's awake now, baby. Demona is here, and she's here to see you."

His green eyes blinked, then widened, and suddenly it took every ounce of Gears' strength and skill to keep him from falling face-first on the floor as he fought against her hold. Gears grinned, and knelt, setting him free on the floor as every eye turned towards them.

The boy moved faster than she had ever seen, sliding and clawing his way across the floor so fast he looked like a colored bullet.

Demona, after giving Optimus a reassuring glance, knelt and opened her hands to catch him as he shot towards her.

But, before he slammed into her, he came to an abrupt stop, and just _stared_, precious green eyes wide as he took in the sight before him. Hesitantly, he stretched an arm out. Demona met him halfway, touching her finger to his hand. He passed his hands over her finger like he was touching the most beautiful, sacred thing on the face of the earth. Then, he took firm hold and squeaked out, "y-you're here!"

"Hello, Alex," she greeted quietly.

Gears watched, taking notice of her oldest as he crouched beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. She continued to smile when her baby flung himself up into Demona's palm and wrapped his limbs around her fingers to anchor himself to her. He held on tight as she raised her hand and held it to her chest, carefully curling her fingers around him so he wouldn't fall.

"I love you, Demona! Please don't go! Don't leave me! I love you, so stay here! Stay here, Demona! Don't leave me!" he cried desperately, slipping free to curl up against her warm body. He was crying now, pressing his face into her plates of armor, "Demona, please don't go!"

"Never again," Demona promised him, "I will always return to you, Alex."

She closed her eyes as the boy continued to cry, although it wasn't as heart-wrenching as before. He shifted and the gentle giant eased him off of her armor to hold him away so she could look at him. He stared up at her, "you promise?"

"I did come back for you, didn't I?"

His eyes softened, and he beamed a big smile at her, "yeah...you did. You came back, just like you promised! And...you won't leave...? you won't leave me anymore?"

She shook her head.

He turned in her hand to smile at Gears, "Momma, momma! Demona's back! She says she won't leave again!"

"I know, baby," Gears told him, "she's coming to live with us."

She laughed when his eyes doubled in size. They flew back to his best friend, "_Really_?"

She nodded.

With a squeal, he flew across her palm and almost slid right off if she hadn't lowered it back down to her chest. He spread his arms over her and nuzzled into her, "I always wanted a big sister..."

Gears kissed a grinning Alec on the head as her youngest seemed to weld himself against Demona, who, unlike the very first time he had attacked her with his innocence, simply radiated peace.

* * *

><p>Demona glanced down at her hand when she felt something move in it.<p>

Gears rested in her palm, Alex in her arms with both hands stretched out to wrap around Demona's finger. They were both deep in recharge, completely comfortable there.

She lifted her optics back to the sky as the sun began to set, watching as the black canvas became splashed with color. She felt a soft touch reach her through the bond. He was checking in on her, making sure she was fine.

He wasn't with her because he'd been called to another one of those long, pointless meetings with the humans. The absence didn't bother her though, she wanted to spend time with this family anyway.

A light touch on the side of her face pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to fix her optics on Alec, who had, instead of resting like his creator and brother, had asked if he could sit on her shoulder.

He said, staring at the falling sun, "What's a protector?"

Demona's spark warmed as she remembered the conversation they'd had before Megatron's fall. She was aware that he knew very well what a protector was, but she answered, "A protector is a guardian. They find something in existence that's worth protecting, and they dedicate themselves to keeping that something safe, from all dangers and all evils, even if it means giving their life for it..."

He wore a small smile, "are you a guardian?"

"Yes." She answered without a thought.

_Not a weapon.  
><em>_Not a killer.  
><em>_Not a destroyer._

_A Guardian._

* * *

><p><strong>And there we go. :) In a span of several weeks Demona has come from being an obedient, loyal creation to Megatron to finding her real place with her real family and discovering a true role. :) She went from being a tool to a living Guardian. <strong>

**I hate to say it guys, but The Guardian has reached it's end. **

**Good news is, I have decided to make the sequel, but whether it'll be up today or tomorrow or sunday is unknown. I will probably update on this story with a little piece of the first chapter so you can get a taste of the next installment. ;) And who knows? Now that Demona has finally found her place, she might find her a nice piece of mech-booty. Dunno, though, until I get going. **

**Love to my readers! I can't believe you stuck with this story for so long...I was honestly really concerned that nobody would like it when I started, but wow...what a surprise...Thank you!**

**Demona, Gears and her family, and the story belongs to me. Transformers does not. **


	37. Teaser

**Okay, I told you I'd give you a little peek into the sequel. :) Here it is...and I'm using their nicknames instead of their real names now, so see if you can remember who Pockets is... ;) Also, POVs are different. We'll still be seeing things from Gears' and Demona's eyes, but there will be other sides of the story now...And Rex is an all-new character, one I think you guys will get a kick out of. **

**anyway, the sequel is called Dear Sister**

**Summary: Many months have passed since she turned against everything she's ever known to bring an end to the war, but peace never lasts. When evil rears it's ugly head once again, she meets the threat head on to defend what's precious.**

**Should be up soon, maybe late tonight or early tomorrow, so keep your eyes open! Much love!**

**Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"...hey! Hey Home Fry!"<p>

Pockets shot a glare down at his friend when a thin pale arm flew up and whacked him across the chest, "I'm talkin' to you, Big Foot!"

_Do you ever stop talking? _But Pockets didn't really mind. He actually enjoyed the company, however twisted it may be, since he started losing his friends when he refused to join the football team and grew a couple of feet above the norm.

"I says," Rex motioned wildly with his arms, "that if you don't get me a date with that smokin' fine-as-hell sister of yours, I'm gonna cook your ass next!"


End file.
